‘Nothing Has Changed’ – Pakistani Rape Gangs Still Sexually Exploiting Children, Says Tory MP

HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 05: A heavy police presence guards Kirklees Magistrates
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Kurt Zindulka

Conservative MPs have called for a “Rotherham-style inquiry” into the mostly Pakistani heritage “grooming gangs” sexually preying on children in West Yorkshire, with accusations of inaction and of the scandal still being “swept under the carpet”.

On Tuesday, three Tory MPs, Robbie Moore, Philip Davies, and Lee Anderson, took to the floor of the House of Commons to call on the government to commission an investigation into rape gangs in their constituencies if the local Bradford Council continues to fail to act.

“Let’s call this problem out for what it is: predominantly a small minority of largely Pakistani Muslim men in West Yorkshire, including, I’m sad to say, in Keighley and across the Bradford district, that have been sexually exploiting young children for far too long,” Mr Moore said per the local Yorkshire Post.

“The Pakistani community are quite rightly outraged that the entire community is being branded with the same accusation. It is not fair and it is deeply offensive,” the Conservative MP continued.

“This isn’t about race or pitching communities against each other, it’s about looking at the facts so we can address them head-on and move forward.”

Moore represents the Bradford suburb of Keighley, which has been plagued by mostly “Asian” grooming gangs sexually exploiting young children for years.

Most recently, three men, Nazir Khan, Usman Sultan, and Kamran Hussain were all found guilty of raping and exploiting the same 14-year-old girl in Keighley.

Moore said that “nothing really has changed” since the epidemic was first brought to light and accused local authorities of still trying to sweep the issue “under the carpet”.

Philip Davies MP said that the government “should make sure we get this inquiry” if the local Bradford Council and others fail to launch an investigation to “get to the bottom of what’s gone wrong and make sure it never happens again”.

The MPs suggested that there should be a “Rotheram-style inquiry” after an investigation into child sexual exploitation in that city found that at least 1,400 young people were sexually abused by grooming gangs over a 16-year period.

Responding to the request, Home Office minister Rachel Maclean said that while the government agreed that there should be an inquiry, she noted that the Rotheram inquest was commissioned by local authorities and that it should be the same case for Bradford.

“This Government is crystal clear, crystal clear, that it is for those local authorities in individual towns and cities, such as Bradford, which are responsible for delivering services, to commission those local inquiries,” she said, passing the buck.

Ms Mclean said that while she appreciated the supposed efforts of local authorities to improve their response to the grooming of children, Bradford Council should “listen closely” to the concerns expressed by the local MPs and launch an investigation “without letting political and cultural sensitivities deter them.”

Police throughout the country have been accused of failing to protect mostly white women and girls from “Asian” grooming gangs out of politically correct fears.

Last year, for example, a report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found that the Rotherham Police force overlooked abuse against children committed by members of “Asian” rape gangs for decades for fear of igniting racial tensions in the area.

The report said that one chief inspector in the local police force informed a father of a missing girl that the city “would erupt” if the public was informed that “Asian” grooming gangs were preying on young white girls.

A report from the Mayor of Greater Manchester also found that officers were told to focus on “other ethnicities” while as a large gang of South Asian-heritage men were left free to exploit young white girls.

Former police detective turned rape gang whistleblower, Maggie Oliver has said that “institutional cowardice” within British courts and police forces has resulted in the scourge of grooming gangs to persist.

The latest investigation into the West Yorkshire Police, which looked into five child grooming cases in Bradford since 2001, found that the police had failed a local girl who was forced into an Islamic wedding after being placed with the family of her abuser by local authorities.

Ms Oliver said that her foundation, which helps survivors and victims of child abuse, is currently investigating 31 cases from West Yorkshire, alone, warning that grooming has extended to “everywhere” in the UK.

Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka

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