The Home Office’s grooming report is an exercise in obfuscation

That the Home Office compiled a report on the political hot potato of child grooming gangs and then actually published it represents progress of a sort. Were you especially charitably disposed towards the department, you could call to mind Dr Johnson talking about the feat of a dog walking on its hind legs: ‘It is not done well, but you are surprised to find it done at all.’

So credit is due to Home Secretary Priti Patel for doggedly battling to ensure that ‘Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation – Characteristics of Offending’ ever saw the light of day.

But when it comes to expecting her civil servants to answer the question about the extent to which Pakistani-heritage men make-up grooming gangs (which is, let’s face it, the main point at issue), the Home Secretary has been notably less successful.

For what has emerged is an exercise in self-deception via the turning of blind eyes, headlong rushes into obfuscation and the construction of straw men.