Home secretary Sajid Javid has been slammed for his apparent lack of action after he promised to look into claims that grooming gangs comprised mainly men of Pakistani heritage.
Last July, Javid ordered officials to work with police to build profile of sex gangs.
However, the Home Office has yet to speak to leading experts on the issue, and could not say when the review would be complete, reported HuffPost UK.
Labour MP Sarah Champion, whose Rotherham constituency was one of those to suffer at the hands of a grooming gang, told the website that she had seen “no evidence” to suggest the Javid had taken steps to honour his promise.
“The communications I have had makes me think they are deliberately trying to cover their tracks about commissioning and delivering that research,” she said.
Nazir Afzal, a former chief crown prosecutor who brought the Rochdale grooming gang to justice, said the lack of action was “seriously concerning given the fact that it’s being exploited by the far-right”.
He also expresses surprise that neither he nor other leading experts on this issue had been approached by the Home Office.
“One of the reasons why these cases have taken so long to bring to justice is because police were the last people to understand the problem,” he said.
“It’s victims’ groups that have the greatest understanding. Talk to them.”
He added: “On subject after subject, you get the Home Office saying they are going to do something and they end up not doing it and hoping that you will forget about it.
“This is seriously concerning given the fact that it’s being exploited by the far-right, the fact that there are people who are suffering physically because they are being attacked because they are being accused of being offenders just because of their ethnicity.”
A Home Office spokesperson meanwhile insisted Javid had “made it clear that it is his mission to tackle child sexual abuse and will leave no stone in tackling this abhorrent behaviour”.
“As part of this, the home secretary has commissioned internal work to explore the characteristics of the groups involved in child sexual exploitation,” the spokesperson said.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)