Labour torn apart by Tory MP for 'shameful' move to block grooming gangs inquiry: 'We WILL keep fighting!'

The Conservative amendment was rejected by 364 votes to 111, with a majority of 253.

The amendment would have prevented the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill from progressing unless a new national inquiry into grooming gangs was launched.

"We will keep pressing for a national inquiry, and the Government does not have an argument against one," O'Brien declared, vowing to continue the fight for justice for victims.

He added: "Labour might be whipping their MPs, they might have won the vote, but they are losing the argument every day."

He criticised the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's resistance to a national inquiry that would "allow the victims to have their voices heard, finally establish what happened and finally start to have some accountability".

O'Brien fumed: "I'm afraid what happened in the Commons last night, with Labour whipping their MPs to vote against an inquiry, that was shameful.

"We will be putting down further amendments as the bill goes through and Labour MPs will be voting again on this, because we will keep fighting, we will not stop trying to get justice for the victims of this scandal."

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The Shadow Education Minister highlighted that no officials involved in the grooming gangs scandal had faced consequences for their actions.

"Not a single official has been brought to justice or face censure because of their role in this, and we know there was a cover up," he stated.

O'Brien added: "There is a formal request for a national inquiry from a local council, and the Government are saying no, they're blocking it. They should say yes and help people in Oldham and other places in the rest of the country join the dots and get to the bottom of this and get to the truth."

He accused Labour of attempting to deflect from the core issues, stating: "Labour always want to talk politics, they want to talk about Elon Musk, they want to talk about everything else and deflect."

O'Brien told GB News: "They want to deflect, deflect, deflect, just like the victim's concerns were deflected all the way along through this process. But we're not going to let them talk about anything else.

"We're going to make them talk about why they are blocking a reasonable request for a national inquiry into the grooming gangs. There isn't a good argument against it.

"There are lots of ways you can try and change the conversation, but the truth is that the victims are still out there, they want a national inquiry. We will keep pressing for a national inquiry, and the Government does not have an argument against one."

The Home Office has stated: "No child should ever suffer sexual abuse and exploitation, and it's paramount that we do more to protect vulnerable children.

"Which is why we're working at pace across Government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the independent inquiry."