Labour MP Nadia Whittome branded Kemi Badenoch a “disgrace” during Prime Minister’s Questions over her ‘weaponisation’ of the grooming gangs scandal.
On Wednesday, Badenoch clashed with prime minister Keir Starmer over the grooming gangs scandal, calling for the government to launch a national inquiry.
The Tory leader used all six of her questions to press Sir Keir on the issue, with the prime minister criticising the opposition for failing to address the scandal during their 14 years in government.
Following the exchange, Nottingham East MP Whittome stood up to criticise Badenoch for “weaponising” the victims of the gangs for “political point scoring.”
She told parliament: “I wish the the leader of the opposition would stop weaponising the victims of child sexual abuse to score political points. It’s damaging victims and if she cared about child protection she wouldn’t be doing that.
“It’s a disgrace.”
In 2022, the findings of child protection expert Prof Alexis Jay published the conclusions of a even-year national inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales, which investigated abuse by grooming gangs along with in schools and churches.
The Tories didn’t implement any of the report’s recommendations while they were in office.
But the subject was reignited earlier this year when Elon Musk started calling for a national inquiry on social media.
Labour’s position on the topic has been that inquiries should be carried out at a local level, instead of launching another national inquiry, resisting calls from opposition MPs and some members of the Labour Party.
In January, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans for a nationwide review of grooming gang evidence and five government-backed local inquiries.
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