Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced tougher prison sentences for child groomers as part of a crackdown on child sexual exploitation, labeling it among the “most despicable and horrific crimes.” In the House of Commons, she emphasized the need to legislate grooming as an aggravating factor in sentencing. Amid calls for a public inquiry into child exploitation in Oldham, Cooper rejected the council’s request for a national inquiry, favoring a local approach. Elon Musk criticized Labor leaders over the issue on social media. Cooper pledged to implement recommended reforms to improve the reporting and handling of child abuse cases.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced tonight that child groomers will face tougher prison sentences as part of a crackdown on the “most despicable and horrific crimes”.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Ms Cooper said the Government would legislate to make grooming an “aggravating factor” when sentencing offenders.
“The punishment must match the horrific crime,” she told MPs, outlining a package of measures to tackle child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Mr Cooper addressed MPs amid a heated debate over the issue, which comes as Labor comes under pressure to launch a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham. He was once again in the spotlight.
The Home Office rejected Oldham Council’s request in favor of a locally-led inquiry, and the government’s decision was criticized by the Conservative Party and Reform UK.
Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Company X, has also criticized Labor leaders over the gang raids in a series of posts on his social media sites.
The controversial businessman has branded Security Minister Jess Phillips a “rape genocide advocate” for refusing the council’s request.
And he is taking aim at Sir Keir Starmer’s record as Crown Prosecution Service Director, who continues a bitter feud with the Prime Minister.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper tonight announced tough prison sentences for child groomers as part of a crackdown on the “most despicable and horrific crimes”.
In a series of posts on his social media sites, billionaire Elon Musk of Company X criticized Labor leaders over the gang raids.
Mr Musk has taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer’s performance as Crown Prosecution Service Director, who continues to have a bitter feud with the Prime Minister.
Ms Cooper said the “most important inquiries and inquiries” should be those carried out by police to “track down the perpetrators”.
She also vowed to implement the recommendations of Professor Alexis Jay, who chairs the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and authored its 2022 report.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak had previously proposed tougher legislation to tackle grooming gangs, but the Conservative Party’s criminal justice bill failed to pass in the Commons before the July general election.
Ms Cooper outlined three key measures and said “new momentum and action” was needed around child sexual exploitation.
He told MPs that Labor would “make reporting of abuse compulsory”, which would make “failing to report or concealing child sexual abuse a crime with professional and criminal sanctions”. ” he said.
The Home Secretary said: “The protection of institutions must never take precedence over the protection of children.”
“This measure was first called for by me following the reports and failures in Rotherham 10 years ago.
“This was something the Prime Minister first asked for 12 years ago based on his experience as Director of Public Prosecutions, and the case was clear then, but we have lost 10 years and we need to start now. be.”
Ms Cooper also told the House of Commons that Labor will “legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in sentencing for child sex offenses because the punishment must fit the horrific crime”.
“Thirdly, we will overhaul the information and evidence collected about child sexual abuse and exploitation and put into a clear new enforcement framework for police, to ensure these crimes are taken more seriously.” she added.
Sir Keir earlier today launched a staunch defense of his record on child sexual exploitation, insisting he had tackled the issue “head on” in his previous role as Director of Public Prosecutions.
The prime minister accused opposition politicians of “amplifying far-right rhetoric” after “14 long years” of inaction.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philip tonight hit back at Lord Keir’s repeated comments calling for the Conservative Party to launch a national inquiry.
When he told the House of Commons that “it is not the far right who stand up for victims of gang rape”, there were cries of “shame” from the Labor Committee.
“Smearing the people who raised these issues is exactly how this issue came to be swept under the rug in the first place,” he added.
In his response to Mr Philip, Mr Cooper said the Conservative Party had failed to take “sufficient action” to tackle the issue of gang raids during its long government.
She said: ‘The truth is that not enough is being done to tackle these despicable crimes.
“There hasn’t been enough change in policy and the way services are run at a local level. The lack of change is a major flaw.”
