'Not a far right obsession!' First Labour MP breaks ranks with Starmer to demand national inquiry into 'unspeakable rape gangs'

Carden told GB News that he "backs an inquiry or other action from the state".

The Liverpool Walton MP also rejected the suggestion that demanding an inquiry was merely enabling the "far right".

The remark appears to challenge the Prime Minister's claim that MPs were "jumping on a bandwagon" and "amplifying what the far right is saying" to gain attention.

Speaking to The Liverpool Echo, Carden said: “The British public want action and justice on the unspeakable rape gangs. The scale of the crimes committed - rape, murder, torture - are horrific.

“The public compassion for the victims, thousands of young British working class girls and children is real. The public call for justice must be heeded.

“It is shocking that people in positions of power could have covered up and refused to act to avoid confronting racial or cultural issues or because victims were poor and working class.

“We must question and challenge the orthodoxy of progressive liberal multiculturalism that led to authorities failing to act. We need a new doctrine to take our multi-ethnic society into the future."

He added: "Both Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have strong records in this area and yet the Government has failed to take the high ground.

• 'No more empire!' Boris brands Putin 'f**king idiot' as Russia's dream crumbles
• 'Rug pulled from under them!' Reform councillor slams Tories and Labour amid push to delay elections
• 'Patronising!' Aman Bhogal fumes at Wes Streeting's recent comments on grooming gangs

"It must communicate a clear message about whose side it is on and now direct the state to implement the rule of law without fear of favour and deliver justice.

“The Prime Minister must use the full power of the state to deliver justice. It must continue to unflinchingly pursue the perpetrators and bring to account those in positions of authority who turned a blind eye, failed to act, or gave political cover to the gangs.

“The outcome must include acknowledging the racial and ethnic hatred of this mass sexual violence.

"This is not an obsession of the far right. I am speaking out because over the decades there have been far too few Labour voices expressing clear disgust and outrage at these heinous crimes, their cover-up and the lack of action.”

Carden's decision to break ranks with Starmer will put pressure on the Prime Minister to do more to address grievances from the victims of grooming gangs.

Starmer already opened the door to U-turning on his current opposition to commissioning a national inquiry.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman confirmed Starmer would push for an inquiry if victims' groups indicated they wanted a new probe.

He also said that No10 would “reject” claims it was a U-turn, instead insisting that the Prime Minister would pursue a “victims-first approach”.

However, Labour MPs were whipped on Wednesday to vote down Kemi Badenoch's attempt to force a national inquiry.

A total of 362 MPs opposed the grooming gangs amendment, including 350 Labour MPs.

Carden joined 48 other Labour MPs in abstaining on the motion.

Ahead of Wednesday's vote, the Prime Minister had claimed there have already been a number of inquiries into the grooming gang scandal.

However, Burnham argued that the scope of the inquiry that he commissioned in Oldham did not have the same legal powers.

Calling for a "limited" probe, the Greater Manchester Mayor said: I will add my voice into this and say I do think there is the case for a limited national inquiry that draws on reviews like the one that I commissioned, and the one we have seen in Rotherham, the one we have seen in Telford, to draw out some of these national issues and compel people to give evidence who then may have charges to answer and be held to account.”

Mahmood, who was the first British Pakistani Muslim to be elected to the House of Commons in 2001, added: "The victims have been abused for all their lives and they need some closure on this."

The pressure on the Prime Minister comes just days after GB News revealed that Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips rejected calls from Oldham Council to hold a national inquiry.

Phillips instead argued that the local authority was better-placed to carry out the probe.

Despite calls for a new inquiry, previous review chief Professor Alexis Jay urged Starmer's Government to "get on with" implementing the 20 recommendations from her 2022 report.

However, a number of grooming gangs survivors have already called for Starmer to back a national inquiry.

Sam told The People's Channel: "A Government inquiry is the only way to hold Oldham Council and GMP accountable for their huge failures that led to hundreds of survivors being mistreated and not listened to.

"A Telford-style inquiry will give answers to survivors but it won’t give justice to those who deserve it."

Jack, whose daughter was another grooming gangs survivor, added: “Let’s just get on with it and put this to bed for good.

"People of this country deserve to know what our children are facing and they're facing it today.”

In response to calls for full, independent inquiry, a Government spokesman previously said: "No child should ever suffer sexual abuse or exploitation and it is paramount we do more to protect vulnerable children – which is why we are working at pace across Government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, chaired by professor Alexis Jay.

“The comprehensive independent inquiry ran for seven years and continues to work with survivors of these heinous crimes – and this Government is committed to working closely with survivors and expert groups like Act on IICSA."