Starmer focused on grooming victims not ‘grandstanding', says Reeves
The Chancellor said that Sir Keir has been looking at 'actually doing the practical things to ensure that something like this never happens again'.
After initially resisting pressure to implement a full probe, the Prime Minister said he had read 'every single word' of an independent report into child sexual exploitation by Baroness Louise Casey and would accept her recommendation for the investigation.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is set to address Parliament on Monday about the findings of the review.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the move as a 'welcome U-turn', while Kemi Badenoch called on him to apologise for 'six wasted months'.
Asked whether the Prime Minister had changed his mind about the idea of a national inquiry, the Chancellor told the Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I think Keir Starmer, our Prime Minister, has always been really focused, as he was when he was director of public prosecutions, on the victims and not grandstanding.
'But actually doing the practical things to ensure that something like this never happens again, but also to ensure that the victims of this horrific abuse over many, many years is got to grips with and that people have answers to their questions.'
Earlier this year, the Government dismissed calls for a public inquiry, saying its focus was on putting in place the outstanding recommendations already made in a seven-year national inquiry by Professor Alexis Jay.
Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride criticised the Government's 'very late' decision to launch the inquiry, and claimed it had only come after pressure from the Tories.
Sir Mel told BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: 'It's a very late decision – it should have happened far, far earlier.
'We've been calling for this for many, many months.'
He accused Sir Keir of previously dismissing concerns from senior Tory figures.
'Kemi Badenoch, Chris Philp and others have been derided by the Prime Minister for hopping on some kind of far-right bandwagon, dog-whistle politics and the rest of it,' Sir Mel said.
'That was the wrong response. This is just another example of the Prime Minister being pressurised by us into U-turning.'
The inquiry will be able to compel witnesses to give evidence, and it is understood that it will be national in scope, co-ordinating a series of targeted local investigations.
Speaking to reporters travelling with him on his visit to Canada on Saturday, the Prime Minister said: 'I have never said we should not look again at any issue.
'I have wanted to be assured that on the question of any inquiry.
'That's why I asked Louise Casey who I hugely respect to do an audit.
'Her position when she started the audit was that there was not a real need for a national inquiry over and above what was going on.
'She has looked at the material she has looked at and she has come to the view that there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she has seen.
'I have read every single word of her report and I am going to accept her recommendation.
'That is the right thing to do on the basis of what she has put in her audit.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
26 minutes ago
- Scotsman
The 'difficult' fight by Scotland's LGBT+ community to repeal section 28 remembered, 25 years on
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... LGBT+ communities have been "strengthened" by their experience of section 28, it has been claimed, as Scotland marked 25 years since the law was repealed. Section 28 was part of the Local Government Act 1988, introduced by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It stated councils could not 'intentionally promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality', or 'promote the teaching in any maintained school the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship'. Scotland had only legalised gay sex eight years before section 28 was introduced - 13 years after it was decriminalised in England and Wales. The law was repealed on June 21, 2000, making it one of the first major pieces of legislation in the newly-devolved Scottish Parliament. England and Wales were to follow suit three years later. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Greens co-convener Patrick Harvie was an LGBT+ youth worker in Glasgow at the time and campaigned in support of the repeal. He said he still finds his memories of the fight 'difficult', particularly when he thinks back on the 'horrible, nasty' media coverage at the time. Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie. | Jane Barlow/Press Associaton 'My memories of the repeal campaign are still quite difficult in some ways,' he said. 'None of us expected this would be the biggest issue in the Scottish Parliament. 'In the early days of devolution, there were anxieties about what the Scottish Parliament would do with human rights. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There was still a strong story that Scotland was more socially conservative and more religious than other parts of the UK. Now that story of Scotland was not true, but it still held power in people's minds. 'When we realised the first Scottish Executive was going to repeal this, there was initially a lot of optimism and happiness. But suddenly we realised what a horrible, nasty, homophobic campaign was run against us by the media.' Mr Harvie told The Scotsman it was a 'frightening experience' for him to grow up queer in the west of Scotland, describing schools at the time as 'not a safe place'. Some of the loudest voices in the 'Keep the Clause' campaign were Cardinal Thomas Winning, head of the Scottish Roman Catholic Church, and bus tycoon Brian Souter. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sir Brian Souter (left) and Jack Irvine from the 'Keep the Clause' campaign. | David Cheskin/Press Association Mr Harvie said: 'Cardinal Winning compared us to Nazis, which is astonishing now. But we survived it - some people say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and our community has been strengthened by this experience. 'It didn't feel like it at the time - it felt like an attack. But it has strengthened us. 'On some level, if it hadn't been for Brian Souter I would never have got into politics, so perhaps I am his greatest legacy.' Mr Harvie was planning to spend the 25th anniversary, which was marked on Saturday, reflecting on his time campaigning and giving evidence in the old Scottish Parliament building. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad First Minister Donald Dewar and Communities Minister Wendy Alexander, pictured immediately before Mr Dewar speaks on repealing section 28. | Ben Curtis/Press Association He said he hoped the anniversary could be used to highlight increasing levels of transphobia across Scotland. Mr Harvie said: 'I will remember being on the front bench of the temporary chamber before I was an MSP and giving evidence on the Ethical Standards and Public Life Act that repealed section 28. 'It genuinely felt like this new parliament had doors open and was willing to participate, and that is when we see Parliament at its best.' The Glasgow MSP added: 'Up until the last few years we have consistently seen Parliament vote in favour of LGBT+ equality and rights so it is painful to see that unravel with the growth of transphobia and prejudice against inclusive education.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
British Business Bank invests in entrepreneurs in £6.6bn funding commitment
On Monday, the Prime Minister said he will cut electricity costs for thousands of businesses as part of the strategy, in a bid to help accelerate economic growth. The British Business Bank has seen its total financial capacity grow to £25.6 billion since the most recent spending review. 🆕 The Government has confirmed £6.6bn of new capital for the British Business Bank to boost growth. A new £4bn initiative, British Business Bank Industrial Strategy Growth Capital, will be invested across eight growth-driving sectors. Read more: — British Business Bank (@BritishBBank) June 23, 2025 It has said its latest £6.6 billion investment commitment will particularly help the rapid growth of small business across the UK. The Government said £4 billion will be invested through the new Industrial Strategy Growth Capital initiative, focusing on eight target sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital, and life sciences. A further £2.6 billion will be aimed at supporting entrepreneurs across the UK, providing funds to help address regional funding gaps. Louis Taylor, chief executive of the British Business Bank, said: 'We welcome today's announcement by the secretary of state to deliver British Business Bank industrial strategy growth capital, as well as the reforms to the Bank's governance and financial framework. 'Using our market expertise and reach, we have a critical role to play in supporting smaller businesses in the eight growth-driving sectors to grow and stay in the UK. 'To deliver the Government's growth mission it is also critical that our most promising entrepreneurs can access the finance they need to grow their businesses, no matter what their background or where they are located across the nations and regions of the UK.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
British Business Bank invests in entrepreneurs in £6.6bn funding commitment
The UK Government's development bank has revealed the investment plans as part of Sir Keir Starmer's 10-year industrial strategy announcement. On Monday, the Prime Minister said he will cut electricity costs for thousands of businesses as part of the strategy, in a bid to help accelerate economic growth. The British Business Bank has seen its total financial capacity grow to £25.6 billion since the most recent spending review. 🆕 The Government has confirmed £6.6bn of new capital for the British Business Bank to boost growth. A new £4bn initiative, British Business Bank Industrial Strategy Growth Capital, will be invested across eight growth-driving sectors. Read more: — British Business Bank (@BritishBBank) June 23, 2025 It has said its latest £6.6 billion investment commitment will particularly help the rapid growth of small business across the UK. The Government said £4 billion will be invested through the new Industrial Strategy Growth Capital initiative, focusing on eight target sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, digital, and life sciences. A further £2.6 billion will be aimed at supporting entrepreneurs across the UK, providing funds to help address regional funding gaps. Louis Taylor, chief executive of the British Business Bank, said: 'We welcome today's announcement by the secretary of state to deliver British Business Bank industrial strategy growth capital, as well as the reforms to the Bank's governance and financial framework. 'Using our market expertise and reach, we have a critical role to play in supporting smaller businesses in the eight growth-driving sectors to grow and stay in the UK. 'To deliver the Government's growth mission it is also critical that our most promising entrepreneurs can access the finance they need to grow their businesses, no matter what their background or where they are located across the nations and regions of the UK.'
