Listen: Robert Jenrick clashes with BBC’s Nick Robinson over grooming gang row

PoliticsOpinion
7 Jan 2025 • 7:38 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Robert Jenrick defended the Conservative’s record on bringing justice to victims of the grooming gang scandal during a heated clash with BBC Radio 4 Today presenter Nick Robinson.

The shadow justice secretary was asked four times by the frustrated BBC journalist if he raised tougher sentences for grooming gang perpetrators when he was Home Office minister, during the Today show on Tuesday (7 January).

Mr Jenrick replied: “I did discuss this with the Home Secretary, I wrote about this last year and I was criticised about it.

Mr Robinson then proceeded to tell the Tory MP he had not raised the issue after checking search terms in Hansard.

The journalist told him: “You have not raised the issue of mass gang rape as a minister or in the House of Commons.”