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MPs on Wednesday evening rejected calls for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs, after the issue was placed on Parliament’s agenda by the Conservatives under pressure from tech billionaire Elon Musk.
In the House of Commons, the government used its majority to reject a Conservative amendment to the Education Act which proposed a national inquiry. A total of 364 MPs voted against the amendment, while 111 were in favor.
The MPs’ vote comes after ministers earlier indicated they were willing to lead a new national inquiry into historic cases of sexual manipulation of girls by gangs made up mainly of British-Pakistani men.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has branded the Conservative amendment to the government’s schools legislation a “destructive amendment” as it would block the bill from passing if it is approved.
Musk called for a national investigation into grooming gangs in the UK as he launched sharp attacks on Starmer and his protection minister, Jess Phillips.
This is a developing story.
