Labour activist torn apart for defending Jess Phillips's grooming gang inquiry refusal: 'It's reprehensible!'

Defending Phillips, Worrall had told GB News that the minister was "right" to reject the request, claiming that she is "one of the biggest experts on violence against women and girls".

Outraged at the claim, Armstrong told Worrall: "Oldham Council, which is a Labour council, has asked twice for support from the Government to do this.

"They're asking a Labour Government for help dealing with this. You lot are sat there shrugging your shoulders at the biggest scandal to face British people in decades - you're doing just as little as the Tories."

Worrall stood firm on his defence of Labour and Phillips, stating that Oldham Council could "do the inquiry themselves like everyone else".

Worrall told GB News: "What the Labour Party is doing is embedding sexual abuse specialists in 999 call centres, so victims are referred straight away to support services that they need.

"It's not just the police, there's these sort of prevention orders that are coming in and they're basically there to manage offenders proactively.

"The Labour Party is taking action on this, so to consider that they're not is just complete nonsense."

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Shutting down Worrall, Armstrong raged: "You're absolutely reprehensible for defending Jess Phillips today.

"Everyone should be coming out here and saying we need to do more to fix this issue."

The Home Office formally rejected the repeated requests for a Government-led inquiry into historic child abuse in Oldham.

In her response to Oldham Council, Phillips acknowledged "the strength of feeling" for a further inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the borough, but said that it is for "Oldham Council alone" to decide to commission an inquiry.

A Home Office spokesman said in a statement: "No child should suffer sexual abuse or exploitation.

"Everyone who is responsible for children's welfare must learn from past mistakes and do everything possible to prevent future failures."

Oldham Council is currently working alongside survivors to ensure their voices remain central to any future investigations.

A spokesman said: "Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount."