MP subject to abuse as child ‘appalled’ by members ‘weaponising’ grooming
Liberal Democrat Josh Babarinde said the discussion around a national investigation into child sexual abuse is being used as ‘political football’.
An MP who suffered domestic abuse as a child said he is “appalled” by the actions of the Conservative shadow home secretary and Reform UK members “weaponising” the issue.
Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Josh Babarinde said the Conservative’s Chris Philp and Reform members were using the discussion around a national investigation into child sexual abuse as a “political football”.
During a statement from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper on child sexual exploitation, Mr Philp was met with shouts of “shame” from the Labour benches as he told the Commons: “It is not far-right to stand up for victims of mass rape.”
Speaking soon after Mr Babarinde in the chamber, Reform UK MP Lee Anderson said Labour was “banging on about playing politics with this important issue”.
The MP for Ashfield continued: “Will the Home Secretary agree with me that we need a specific inquiry into why young British, white girls are being systematically raped by men of Pakistani heritage?”
In 2014, a report by Professor Alexis Jay described how more than 1,400 children were sexually exploited by gangs of mainly Asian males in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, between 1997 and 2013.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) was later commissioned by the then government.
Mr Babarinde, who has tabled a private members bill that would make domestic abuse a specific legal offence, said he was appalled by the sentiments expressed by other opposition members as he referred to the Jay report.
He told MPs: “Considerable evidence tells us that children exposed to domestic violence are at increased risk of abuse themselves, and growing up I was one of those children.
“And as a survivor, I am appalled to see the shadow home secretary weaponise this issue as we just saw.
“I am appalled to see the likes of Reform play this issue like a political football, and I am appalled that zero out of the 20 recommendations in Professor Jay’s report have been implemented so far.
“Now, in light of the link between domestic abuse and child abuse, I have tabled a Bill to create a dedicated set of domestic abuse offences in the law for the first time, I want to ask whether the Home Secretary will meet with me to discuss the provisions of this Bill so that we can see how we can better respect and protect survivors across the country?”
Ms Cooper replied: “Can I just thank (Mr Babarinde) for speaking out about his personal experiences because I realise that that is never an easy thing to do and to just show respect to him for doing so.
“He is also right that there are all kinds of links that domestic abuse in the household has an incredibly damaging impact on the family, on children growing up, and we have to see the work around the protection of children as part of wider work around public protection.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal, as did several of the party’s backbenchers.
Tory former minister Simon Hoare, expressed his agreement with the Government that a new public inquiry would not present any new information.
He told the Commons: “These terrible crimes could happen to anyone and be perpetrated by anyone, irrespective of colour, class, heritage, geography. I think (Ms Cooper) is right, I think the public wants to see action now.
“I remain, frankly, not convinced that a new public inquiry will throw any new light or information on this issue, and the best place for victims to have their stories told is actually in court when the perpetrators are brought to justice”.
Mr Hoare further asked the Home Secretary to “make clear” to local governments and police that the “implementation of rules and regulations are colour and class blind”, adding that victims of grooming had been dismissed as “white trash”.
Ms Cooper replied: “We did have young people who were dismissed actually because they were vulnerable, because of the difficult experiences that they might have had, often young girls just not taken seriously and the myths that were operating within the way that services responded.”
Independent MP for Leicester South Shockat Adam said demonising a community risks giving potential victims “a false sense of security with people who don’t fit that stereotype”.
Mr Adam said: “This narrative is false and this narrative is dangerous. Many reports from 2015 to 2024 have concluded that the common denominator for sexual violence is not immigration, race or culture.”
In response, Yvette Cooper said: “One of the points that the independent inquiry made was the broad nature of this abuse and the way in which it can be found anywhere.”
