Watch: Reeves defends Keir Starmer’s delay on grooming gangs inquiry

Starmer focused on victims of grooming gangs and not 'grandstanding', Reeves insists as inquiry launchedSource: BBC

Transcript

00:00The Prime Minister wanted to assure himself he was doing everything that was necessary,

00:04which is why he asked Baroness Casey to do this rapid review.

00:08She said at the outset that she didn't think there was a need for a national inquiry,

00:11but during the course of her rapid review, she's concluded that a national inquiry alongside the local inquiries

00:17to give statutory powers is the right way forward.

00:20And the Prime Minister has pre-empted the publication of the report this week

00:24and said that he will accept the recommendations, including for a national inquiry alongside those local inquiries that have already got going.

00:31So has Keir Starmer changed his mind about the fact that he claims...

00:34Well, I think Keir Starmer, our Prime Minister, has always been really focused,

00:38as he was when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, on the victims.

00:41And not grandstanding, but actually doing the practical things to ensure that something like this never happens again,

00:47but also to ensure that the victims of this horrific abuse over many, many years

00:53is got to grips with and that people have answers to their questions.