Esther McVey has vowed to hold government’s “feet to the fire” over grooming gangs as it announced a national enquiry will finally go ahead.
Labour has come under widespread criticism in recent months for watering down and backtracking over plans for a national inquiry.
Ms McVey welcomed the inquiry but said she had significant reservations given government’s initial reluctance.
Speaking in Parliament she said: “This government has been dragged kicking and screaming to deliver a national enquiry, having dismissed the pleas of a nation for one, as jumping on a far-right bandwagon.
“This reluctance is why my honourable friend for Great Yarmouth will continue with his inquiry and I will be supporting him in this.
“Can I ask the Home Secretary will this enquiry investigate the political motivations behind the cover up, including the role of the Labour Party, or will this continue to be swept under the carpet.”
Earlier this year Ms McVey was appointed to an independent panel of experts looking into grooming gang following government’s “failure to act”. The Rape Gang Inquiry was set up by Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe and will look at what happened, how it happened, and why it was allowed to happen.
Ms McVey added: “The Prime Minister’s U-turn on holding a grooming gang inquiry sums up his lack of judgment. He has now been forced into holding one by Baroness Casey.
“But we mustn’t be complacent. Keir Starmer will decide who heads up the Inquiry, its terms of reference and therefore how long it will take to report. I think we can expect this can kicked down the road for as long as possible so as not to embarrass any Labour Party involvement in the cover up or blind eye being turned to these horrific crimes.
“I previously agreed to serve on the inquiry on this issue launched by MP Rupert Lowe and we will keep the official one’s feet to the fire and be a genuine voice of the victims.”
