- Sir Keir Starmer has been granted core participant status in the £65 million national grooming gangs inquiry that he ordered in 2025, meaning he could be formally summoned to give evidence when hearings begin in December.
- Led by former children's commissioner for England Baroness Anne Longfield, the three-year inquiry holds legal powers to compel witnesses to testify and require organisations to hand over relevant documents.
- The investigation is examining serious failures by authorities to respond to child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs across Britain, including in Birmingham, Bradford, Keighley, London, Oldham and parts of Wales.
- Sir Keir originally resisted calls for a national probe before reversing his decision following political pressure and public criticism, including online attacks from tech billionaire Elon Musk.
- Prime minister Andy Burnham has previously defended his own record regarding child exploitation cases during his Labour leadership campaign, insisting he acted immediately and accusing critics of manipulating the facts.
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