Father of Grooming Gang Victim Criticises Appointment of New Inquiry Chair
# Father of Grooming Gang Victim 'Extremely Disappointed' with New Inquiry Chair
## Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood Appoints Labour Member as Chair of Inquiry
The father of a grooming gang victim has voiced his profound dissatisfaction with the recent appointment of Anne Longfield as chair of a new inquiry into grooming practices. The announcement, made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, has raised significant concerns, particularly as Longfield holds a seat in the House of Lords as a Labour member.
The father expressed his feelings candidly, stating, "I'm extremely disappointed. As a campaigner, more importantly as a father, we've been asking for a judge, preferably a non-British judge. Then when I discovered that Dame Longfield has been named the chair, who also is, historically, a Labour peer, it's really concerning. Because we all know this: a lot of the areas where girls are groomed, including my daughter, are Labour run. And what we don't want is Labour scrutinising Labour."
Critics have also emerged in response to the announcement, including Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who questioned the choice of Longfield. "Why pick a Labour peer? I mean, that will appear to everybody like, effectively, you're marking your own homework," he remarked, further underscoring the skepticism surrounding the appointment.
Though some acknowledge Longfield’s previous work on related issues, such as county lines, critics highlight that her efforts have not addressed the heart of grooming concerns. One commentator noted, "However, that said, I do know that Dame Longfield has done some good work with county lines, but she's not done anything around grooming."
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s speech in the House of Commons, which included a commitment to combat “the actions of those who looked the other way,” has not alleviated the concerns voiced by victim advocates and community leaders regarding the integrity and impartiality of the inquiry.