Is Westminster forgetting about the grooming gangs already?

Remember grooming gangs? Last week’s big story has amazingly already been superseded by other political rows, but they came up again at Home Office questions in the Commons this afternoon.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp used his topical question to ask Yvette Cooper whether she now agreed with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden that there should be a ‘proper national public inquiry’. Cooper did not agree in her response, but equally she didn’t rule out an inquiry, showing how far the government has had to shift from its initial adamant position that those calling for an inquiry were jumping on a ‘far-right bandwagon’. 

Presumably ministers have had to recognise that despite Burnham’s fondness for travelling by bandwagon, he hasn’t yet bought a ticket for one driven by the far right.

Philp pointed out that the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse only briefly covered the gangs, and was continuing to argue his case when the Speaker cut him off for going on too long.