Ex-Met detective erupts over police ‘cowardice’ in tackling grooming gangs: ‘Scared of being called racist!’
Failure to take prompt and firm action against grooming gangs lies at the door of “cowardly” police officers, according to former Met Police detective Peter Bleksley.
Speaking on GB News, Bleksley demanded a full inquiry into the scandal after Labour minister Jess Phillips confirmed the Government has no plans to conduct one.
Her decision has sparked uproar with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Tesla owner Elon Musk among those to have rallied against the Government.
Bleksley told Anne Diamond and Stephen Dixon: “I believe that in the early days, when these allegations were being made by young girls who were being groomed and exploited and subjected to the most horrific gang raping.
“The majority of Pakistani origin, who treated these young, white girls as trash. They felt they could treat them however they chose.
“When these issues were raised, I remain entirely convinced that many senior police officers were fearful of intervening because they may be branded racist.
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“There was cowardice from the police, cowardice from social services and cowardice from others.
“It’s about time this nation harnessed the power of Maggie Oliver and others and got all of the truth out there.”
Phillips suggested that Oldham Council should instead organise its own investigation into the scandal.
The decision comes amid mounting pressure for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, which are believed to have operated across the country.
Critics argue that Phillips’ response is inadequate given the scale of the scandal, which involves allegations of incompetence and possible corruption within local authorities and police forces.
The minister’s decision has been described as “almost inexplicable” given the severity of cases where children were subjected to abuse.
Sir Keir Starmer has admitted that during his tenure as director of public prosecutions, the Crown Prosecution Service dropped a case against a rape gang despite overwhelming evidence of their guilt.
This decision had significant consequences, as Greater Manchester Police subsequently ended its wider investigation into grooming gangs, allowing abuse to continue.
While Starmer has highlighted his role in prosecuting grooming gangs during his time as DPP, critics argue he must also address the organisation’s failures under his leadership.
Local council-led investigations have been deemed “manifestly unsuitable” for addressing the scale of the grooming gangs scandal.
Critics argue that councils face significant local pressure and cannot effectively conduct independent reviews.
Experts emphasise that addressing this nationwide scandal requires the full attention of the state.
A national inquiry would have the necessary powers to compel witnesses to testify, which local reviews lack.