Wigan Council votes in favour of national grooming gangs inquiry

The motion said that the abuse had “destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of teenage girls,” adding that an inquiry would “provide justice for the young girls who have suffered and identify preventative measures moving forward”.

Independent Cllr. Maureen O’Bern raised the same motion on the atrocity on Wednesday night, but the Labour councillors left during her speech as time had apparently run out during the meeting.

In her speech, the independent politician said: “Only a statutory full national enquiry can get justice for those girls, and detect and punish the perpetrators and those who covered up for them.”

In remarks seen by GB News, Cllr. O’Bern read out the sentencing from 2013 describing the jailing of one of the Oxford abuse gangs.

After outlining the horrifying details in that case, which the judge said amounted to torture, the councillor said: “This is the truth about the grooming gangs, and why we need a full national enquiry.”

Local sources told the People’s Channel that Cllr. O’Bern was not permitted to reread her motion in the full council meeting on Friday as it was voted through.

The vote comes weeks after a parliamentary amendment from the Conservatives to set up a national inquiry into the scandal was voted down by 364 votes to 111 votes.

Before the vote on January 8, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said that Labour risked fuelling accusations of "a cover-up" by rejecting the amendment.

The grooming gangs issue returned to national attention after GB News revealed that Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips had rejected a request from Oldham Council for a Government-led inquiry into the abuse gangs in the town.

Under significant pressure on the issue, the Government announced on January 16 that it would back five locally-led inquiries and conduct a rapid three-month audit of existing evidence, led by Baroness Louise Casey.

Cllr. O'Bern told GB News: "I'm delighted that the motion was voted through unanimously by all councillors present. However, I can't understand why they were adamant the motion wasn't debated. The whole issue needs to be completely transparent and open."

Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux MBE, said: "Alongside our counterparts up and down the country, we are appalled by incidents of child sexual exploitation and horrific abuse.

"The motion was carried unanimously and I am pleased to support our colleagues at Oldham Council. Our intention was always to support this motion from the outset.

"Alongside Oldham Council, we also welcome the recent announcements by the home secretary outlining the steps the government is taking to protect young people from sexual abuse and grooming gangs, including stronger national backing for local inquiries.

"I would like to echo the words spoken by the home secretary recently on this matter; ‘nothing matters more than the safety of our children’ and that additional work to protect victims, put perpetrators behind bars and uncover where things have gone wrong, is required."

Councillor Molyneux added: "I would like to commend the Mayor of Wigan Borough, Councillor Debbie Parkinson, for ensuring that correct protocol was followed during Wednesday’s meeting in challenging circumstances.

"I also welcome that the council’s Leader of the Opposition has written to the Mayor to apologise for his colleague’s outburst that led to the adjournment that concluded the meeting."