Grooming gangs inquiry expands to Wales and Birmingham

The independent inquiry into grooming gangs has widened its investigation to cover Wales and Birmingham.

Both probes will "examine the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by grooming gangs and the response of organisations responsible for protecting children".

The inquiry said in June that London, Oldham, Bradford and Keighley would be the first towns and cities it would focus on as it looks at areas of the country where serious failures have been identified in the response to child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs.

"Each investigation will help the inquiry establish why institutions and organisations failed to protect victims and survivors of abuse, and feed directly into its national findings and recommendations," a statement said.

The inquiry plans to hold its first public hearing by the end of the year, with more investigations expected to be announced in the future.

The grooming gangs investigation has been plagued by controversy, with the government facing a stream of criticism over its handling of the probe.

Sir Keir Starmer initially refused calls for a national inquiry last year before tech billionaire Elon Musk sparked a political row when he used his X social media platform to attack the then-prime minister over the long-running scandal.

Following the U-turn on ordering the inquiry, efforts to set up the body and start work were faced significant set backs.

Amid a row over the inquiry's scope, four survivors quit the government's grooming gangs inquiry panel and demanded the resignation of Labour MP Jess Phillips, who set up the inquiry.

Former children's commissioner for England Baroness Anne Longfield is leading the £65m three-year inquiry, which has the legal powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and require organisations to hand over documents.

She said the inquiry will "follow the evidence wherever it leads".

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So far there have been more than 800 recommendations about tackling grooming gangs, child sexual exploitation and abuse across numerous reviews, reports and inquiries dating back to the 1990s, the inquiry identified.

The inquiry previously said it will examine whether ethnicity, culture or religion influenced offending and if they shaped the institutional response.

Any evidence of crimes uncovered will be referred to Operation Beaconport, the national police operation launched last year to review hundreds of previously closed investigations.

During his election campaign before assuming the Labour leadership, Andy Burnham insisted he "acted immediately" on grooming gangs while he was mayor of Greater Manchester and criticised others for manipulating the facts.

(c) Sky News 2026: Grooming gangs inquiry expands to Wales and Birmingham