A storm of Stockton posts has broken out on Facebook against central government’s response to calls for a nationwide inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal that first flared up in Oldham.
The uproar has led to a verbal assault on a female Stockton Labour councillor and other female councillors being doorstepped.
Motion to Council
A motion to the Stockton-on-Tees Council Meeting on Wednesday 22 January, submitted by Conservative councillor Niall Innes, declared:
“The lack of formal review into this scandal fails to ensure justice for the victims and punishment for the perpetrators.
“…Neighbouring Middlesbrough has been named as one of 50 towns where Child Exploitation Gangs have operated.”
The motion claimed:
“[Council] have a duty to protect innocent and vulnerable youngsters from exploitation…
“This is a scandal that should be rooted out entirely and investigated by the full might of the British state…”
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has rejected Oldham Council’s calls for a government inquiry into their local grooming gangs. She has suggested that Oldham Council should conduct its own investigation instead.
The Stockton motion condemned Phillips’s rejection of a public inquiry into the Oldham grooming gangs as “inexplicable.”
The Stockton motion also demanded that:
“The full force of the law is used to ensure those at the heart of these ‘gangs’ are
brought to justice, and a review undertaken into the failings of authorities to protect victims.”
The motion requested that the Council ask Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper for a full public inquiry into grooming gangs, and demanded that the Council Leader meet “local stakeholders” to discuss the issue.
The motion was carried: an amendment led by Labour councillor Paul Weston was defeated
Social media
Fuel has been added to the flames across the UK by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who posted on his X platform that Phillipps should be jailed for refusing a national inquiry. He has also accused Starmer of a cover-up.
The Conservatives have further stoked the fire by exploiting Starmer’s role as Director of Public Prosecution during the Oldham scandal.
Local Tory MP Matt Vickers took to Facebook to list the Labour councillors who had voted against the motion and wrote:
“Stunned to hear Labour councillors from across Stockton have voted against a National Inquiry into grooming gangs. Was yours one of them?
“Middlesbrough was named as one of the 50 towns affected by grooming gangs – young girls in Teesside suffered horrendously. They deserve answers and we must ensure it can never happen again!
Please sign this petition to make your voices heard..”
His post together with those of the Stockton Conservatives triggered a pile-on of attacks against the Labour councillors who voted against the motion.
Here are just a few posts:
“NO SURPRISE THERE THEN, SKELETONS ABOUND IN THE LABOUR CUPBOARDS, THEY ENABLED JIMMY SAVILLE, THEY ENABLED THE PAKISTANI R@PE GANGS. AND STILL PROTECT THEM BY DENYING A ENQUIRY”
“Nonces”
“The brown envelope gang……. what do you expect from these sort of people, nothing but contempt for the lot of them.
“Can’t wait for campaign time, I don’t think they would have the guts to knock on doors, waste of oxygen!!!!!”
“Paedo grooming facilitators all or them then”
“About time people stand up for our children and get these people out of office ASAP! They should be charged with criminal offences!!”
“Don’t want an enquiry because all the grooming gangs were Asian men. That’s the only reason they don’t want an enquiry.
British Citizens are treated like 2nd class people in this country now.
Knife crime, immigration and terrorism.
All on the rise with every boat that crosses that channel!
About time Britain came first!!! Why..have they something to hide??😡”
“Vile morals not fit to be in office”
“Kiddie fiddlers”
Missing from the motion or Vickers’s post was any mention of two earlier inquiries, that were held under the previous Conservative government.
Inquiry
Chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, one inquiry concerned the Oldham grooming gangs. The report of Professor Jay’s other inquiry, the seven-year Independent National Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, was published in 2022. But none of its 20 recommendations was implemented and the report lay gathering dust under the Tory central government.
Some of its recommendations were actioned by the Labour administration a few weeks ago.
Just days before the Stockton Council meeting, Yvette Cooper announced a £5mn fund for five new local inquiries, one of them in Oldham.
Statement from Labour councillors
Stockton Labour councillors issued the following statement:
“We are absolutely committed to doing everything in our power to prevent child sex abuse and stop grooming gangs. This is too important an issue to play party politics over.
“Today the Stockton Conservatives proposed a motion on grooming gangs. Unfortunately we were unable to support the motion, as it was inaccurate, out-of-date, and attempted to reduce this vital issue to party-political point scoring.
“As we supported the overall call for real action over grooming gangs, we proposed an amendment to ensure the motion was accurate and focused, but unfortunately it failed.
“Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has announced a national investigation into grooming gangs, and millions of pounds of government funding for local, focused inquiries that will address the ways that victims have been failed. We fully support these steps, as the victims of this scandal deserve justice.
“This scandal must be a wake-up call. It should not be used to divide our communities, but to make real changes so the voices of victims are listened to.
“We hope to be able to work with colleagues regardless of political affiliation on these vital issues.”
North East Bylines has learned that a female Labour councillor was assaulted verbally. Three more female Labour councillors who voted against the motion have been doorstepped by angry protestors
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
