Reform has committed to launching a national statutory public inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal in its first month of government.
Making the party’s first legislative pledge, leader Nigel Farage has said that national inquiry must happen.
Farage told GB News: “If Labour refuses to hold an inquiry, Reform’s manifesto at the next election will commit to legislation for an Inquiry, with statutory powers, into the gangs introduced to Parliament in the first month of the Reform government.
“This inquiry must happen and will happen.”
Nigel Farage marked his party's first manifesto pledge
PA
Party sources told GB News that Reform would base its inquiry on a bill released today by campaign group Crush Crime.
The bill could allow for Reform to launch an inquiry with statutory powers in its first month of government.
The author of the bill, Crush Crime director Dr Lawrence Newport, said: "Crush Crime has prepared a ready-to-go bill for a time limited, focused, high powered inquiry into the national scandal of grooming gangs.
"The public demands justice from this. There can be no further excuses for delays. There must be no stone left unturned in the search for the truth. This is a chance for politicians to end the cover-up culture.
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Farage said: 'This inquiry must happen and will happen'
PA
"We gave the government a chance to do the right thing – but we have now produced our own bill because they have failed victims and failed to act."
A spokesman for Kemi Badenoch said: “This issue is too important to wait until the next election. The Conservatives have twice forced votes in Parliament on a full statutory inquiry into the grooming gangs and we will continue to do so.
"The victims of these horrendous crimes deserve justice and the politicians who turned a blind eye must be held to account.”
