West Yorkshire leaders respond to plans for national grooming gangs inquiry
The government has set out plans for a national investigation into grooming - after months of resisting the move
Last updated 16th Jun 2025
Authorities in West Yorkshire have been setting out their response to a national inquiry into grooming gangs announced by the government today.
A review by Baroness Casey, who previously investigated the issue in Rotherham, found officials have dodged the issue of ethnicity among the groups of sex offenders for fear of being called racist.
Speaking as a review of grooming gangs by Baroness Casey was published on Monday, Yvette Cooper told MPs: "While much more robust national data is needed, we cannot and must not shy away from these findings, because, as Baroness Casey says, ignoring the issues, not examining and exposing them to the light, allows the criminality and depravity of a minority of men to be used to marginalise whole communities."
She said Baroness Casey found examples of organisations "avoiding the topic altogether for fear of appearing racist or raising community tensions".
Ms Cooper said: "These findings are deeply disturbing, but most disturbing of all, as Baroness Casey makes clear, is the fact that too many of these findings are not new."
Currently ethnicity is only recorded for around 37% of suspects.
The report found that: "The appalling lack of data on ethnicity in crime recording alone is a major failing over the last decade or more. Questions about ethnicity have been asked but dodged for years."
After long resisting calls for a national inquiry into the handling of grooming gangs by authorities, the government finally confirmed one would be held at the weekend.
The National Crime Agency would also re-examine approximately 800 cold cases, while laws could be changed to better protect victims.
In a statement, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin said: "Violence against women and girls is endemic in our society. Sexual exploitation and abuse is a horrific crime. Predators who groom children must be stopped and brought to justice."
"I welcome the Home Secretary's announcement today that she will change the law to avoid punishing the victims of these crimes while making sure perpetrators pay."
“Here in West Yorkshire our actions are led by the victims and survivors. This has led to 210 perpetrators sentenced to more than 2,300 years over the past decade, with more to come."
Conservatives in the Bradford District have long called for a probe into the issue.
Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, Group Leader of the Conservative and Queensbury Independents said:
“My colleagues and I strongly welcome the Statutory National Inquiry that victims and others have been campaigning for, and we await the details from the rapid review by Baroness Casey that has led to the Prime Minister u-turning over having a statutory inquiry into this abhorrent crime.
“It is shameful that after decades many victims and their supporters have been ignored, vilified and in some cases even subjected to legal action.
“This appalling crime is still happening across the country, despite some positive work being carried out.
“Some victims have bravely shared their dreadful experiences in order to show this is such a huge issue that it needs an inquiry with full statutory powers to compel witnesses to give evidence under oath."