It feels like a lifetime ago when the Government was battling off calls for a national inquiry into rape gangs.
Only for Yvette Cooper to then issue this statement in January: "So Tom Crowther KC, chair of the Telford Inquiry, has agreed to work with the Government to develop a new framework for victim centred, locally led inquiries."
But then on Tuesday, Home Office minister Jess Phillips appeared to row back on the initial inquiry plan, following feedback from local authorities.
She said: "We'll set out the process through which local authorities can access the £5million national fund to support locally led work on grooming gangs.
Tom Harwood delivers his verdict on whether Labour's 'heart is in' the grooming gangs inquiries
GB News
"Following feedback from local authorities, the fund will adopt a flexible approach to support both full independent local inquiries and more bespoke work."
Should we just take a second to think about that? The local authorities that were going to hold inquiries that perhaps should have been investigated themselves, have given feedback that they shouldn't be investigated after all.
The decision to water down an already seemingly watered down approach was met with furore, not just from the media, but from Labour's own Red Wall MPs too.
So today the Government briefed GB News, claiming it wasn't a case of watering down local inquiries. There would not be the original five, the new approach may lead to even more inquiries, on an opt in basis.
This chaos, this constantly oscillating position on grooming gangs inquiries really begs the question - is their heart really in it? Or do they need their feet held to the fire every step of the way?
Well, earlier today, rape gang survivor Ellie Reynolds had this to say to Martin Daubney asked her what her message would be to the Labour Government: "An email was sent to Jess Phillips, who did arrange to meet with me, but this was a couple of months ago and I've heard nothing since.
"My message would be, I really feel like people need to start taking the victims more seriously."
A profound thing to say and something I'm thinking we can all agree with, but what on earth is going on at the top of Government?
