Keir Starmer orders full-scale national inquiry into grooming gang abuse scandal after months of refusing to act

Starmer said that the inquiry will be statutory, which means that it will have powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and is independent of Government.

It is understood that the probe will coordinate the other local inquiries which are already underway.

The inquiry will be similar in its set-up to the Post Office Horizon scandal, which has seen executives and ministers grilled in front of TV cameras.

Many of the cases involved Pakistani-heritage men raping young white girls.

“I have read every single word of her report and I am going to accept her recommendation. That is the right thing to do on the basis of what she has put in her audit.

“I asked her to do that job to double-check on this. She has done that job for me, and having read her report, I respect her in any event. I shall now implement her recommendations.”

Starmer said the national inquiry would be statutory under the Inquiries Act.

“That will take a bit of time to sort out exactly how that works and we will set that out in an orderly way,” he said.

According to the House of Commons library, statutory inquiries operate in line with the provisions of the Inquiries Act 2005 and the Inquiry Rules 2006.

Arrangements are more strictly defined than in other types of inquiry.

They can be judge-led, and are able to compel witnesses to provide evidence, provide certain legal safeguards and maintain clearer limits on the Government’s involvement.

Casey’s review is said to have found that some victims were “institutionally ignoreed for fear of racism”, according to The Times.

Other issues are said to relate to the licensing of local taxi drivers, given that many of the young girls were found later to have been abused by taxi drivers.

Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said: “Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks, unless an official report has told him so.

“Just like he dismissed concerns about the Winter Fuel Payment and then had to u-turn, just like he needed the Supreme Court to tell him what a woman is, he had to be led by the nose to make this correct decision here.

“I’ve been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January. It’s about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months.

“This must not be the end of the matter. There are many, many more questions that need answering to ensure this inquiry is done properly and quickly.

“Many survivors of the grooming gangs will be relieved that this is finally happening, but they need a resolution soon – not in 10 years’ time. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

Her Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, said: “In January, Keir Starmer shamefully smeared people like me calling for an inquiry into the rape gang cover-up as ‘far-right’.

“Now, faced with the vote we scheduled next week in Parliament and an external report, Starmer has finally capitulated. Not because he wants to do the right thing – but because he’s been forced to.

“Starmer must now apologise for needlessly keeping victims waiting another six months and apologise for smearing and insulting campaigners.

“It is vital the inquiry has full statutory powers to compel the production of evidence and looks at every aspect of the cover-up.

“Those in authority deliberately covered up the systematic rape of thousands of girls as young as 10 because the perpetrators were mainly of Pakistani origin. They thought race relations were more important than protecting young girls.

“The truth must now come out and people in positions of authority responsible for the cover-up held to account. Those who ignored or hid these crimes should go to prison for the offence of misconduct in public office.

“The victims who have been so badly let down deserve this justice.”