In a dramatic post-election pivot, Reform UK is demanding immediate government action on one of the most disturbing scandals in modern British history: the grooming gang crisis. After a powerful showing in the 2025 local elections—where they won an astonishing 677 council seats and seized control of ten local councils—Reform is now leveraging its political momentum to call for a national statutory inquiry into child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs, particularly those involving men of predominantly Pakistani heritage preying on vulnerable white girls.
This isn’t just a call for justice. It’s a declaration of political warfare against what the party sees as years of systemic failure, cover-ups, and political correctness that left thousands of victims without recourse. Nigel Farage, the party’s high-profile leader, has placed this issue at the heart of Reform UK’s post-election agenda, pledging to mobilize his newly elected councillors to put pressure directly on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Reform UK’s position contrasts sharply with that of the Labour-led government, which favors localized inquiries and a national audit rather than a sweeping nationwide investigation. But for Farage and his supporters, that’s not enough. They want a full reckoning—national, public, and undeniable.
Nigel Farage’s Bold Strategy
Nigel Farage is no stranger to controversy or high-stakes political gambits. His leadership has always thrived on seizing populist issues and giving voice to voters who feel ignored. This time, his sights are set on what he calls “one of the darkest and most disgraceful episodes in British social history.” Farage insists the scandal surrounding grooming gangs demands not just attention—but justice.
In public statements following the election, Farage vowed to use Reform UK’s expanded political clout to make grooming gangs a national priority. “We now have the numbers, the mandate, and the moral obligation to act,” he declared. His plan? Deploy Reform’s councillors to confront the Home Secretary and demand a statutory public inquiry into the decades of abuse and systemic failure that allowed it to continue unchecked.
It’s a strategic pivot that resonates with many working-class voters, especially in towns that have been directly affected, like Rotherham and Oldham. In these communities, anger still simmers over how local authorities, law enforcement, and even social workers turned a blind eye to the abuse, often out of fear of being labeled racist. Farage is tapping into that frustration with characteristic bluntness.
He’s also framing the issue as one of institutional decay—arguing that the failures here are symptomatic of a broader erosion of trust in public institutions. In doing so, he’s positioning Reform UK not just as a political party but as a reform movement ready to shake the establishment.
Reform UK’s Electoral Success
The 2025 local elections marked a major turning point for Reform UK. Surpassing expectations, the party gained 677 seats across the country and took control of ten local councils. What started as a protest movement against Brexit delays and political elitism has evolved into a real political force with nationwide reach.
This sweeping success wasn’t just a fluke. Reform UK’s messaging—centered around law and order, government accountability, and community protection—resonated in towns and boroughs where traditional parties have long taken voter loyalty for granted. Voters, especially those in working-class areas hit hard by crime and social neglect, flocked to Reform UK as a genuine alternative.
Winning local control gives Reform something far more valuable than headlines: a platform. With seats in council chambers across England, they now have the tools to introduce motions, challenge existing policies, and put forward resolutions that can shape real governance. And Farage is making clear that the grooming gang inquiry will be a top legislative priority for these new councillors.
Importantly, the election results also signal a major shift in voter sentiment. With Labour in power nationally and the Conservatives struggling for identity, Reform UK is seizing the political middle ground on controversial, emotionally charged issues. Their win wasn’t just electoral—it was ideological.
The Grooming Gang Scandal Explained
To understand the magnitude of Reform UK’s demand, you have to grasp the scope and horror of the grooming gang scandal itself. Over the past two decades, multiple investigations have uncovered a chilling pattern of systemic sexual exploitation of children—mainly white working-class girls—by predominantly South Asian men in several UK towns.
The most infamous case emerged in Rotherham, where an estimated 1,400 girls were abused between 1997 and 2013. Reports described horrifying abuse: girls as young as 11 were raped, trafficked, and beaten while authorities either failed to act or actively covered it up. Similar stories later came out of Rochdale, Telford, and Oldham.
These were not isolated incidents. Investigations revealed deep-rooted failures across multiple layers of public service: police, child protection agencies, and local councils. Time and again, warning signs were ignored or dismissed, and victims were left unprotected.
Even more disturbingly, some officials reportedly avoided taking action due to fears of inflaming racial tensions or being accused of racism. This reluctance to confront uncomfortable truths allowed predators to operate with near impunity for years.
Public outrage over these cases remains intense. Many victims feel that justice has still not been served, and that the full truth has yet to come out. That’s exactly what Reform UK wants to address—by demanding a national, unified inquiry that pulls back the curtain on institutional neglect and political cowardice.
Reform UK’s Call for a National Inquiry
Reform UK’s demand is clear: no more piecemeal investigations. They want a single, nationwide public inquiry—led by a statutory commission with the power to subpoena witnesses, access classified documents, and hold institutions accountable.
The logic is simple. While local inquiries have uncovered critical evidence and prompted some reforms, they’ve also been limited in scope and authority. A national inquiry would connect the dots, identify systemic patterns, and ensure a level of transparency that local bodies cannot offer.
Farage argues that anything less is an insult to the victims and a missed opportunity to rebuild public trust. “We’ve had enough local whitewashes,” he said in a recent interview. “It’s time for the truth—warts and all—to come out.”
This approach also allows Reform UK to distinguish itself politically. While Labour and the Conservatives debate the scope of local inquiries and audits, Reform is the only major party pushing for a full national reckoning. It’s a risky move, but one that could solidify their support among disillusioned voters looking for bold leadership.
Government Response and Position
The current Labour government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, has taken a more measured stance on the issue. Rather than committing to a full-scale national inquiry, the government has opted for what it calls a “rapid national audit” of child sexual exploitation cases, combined with up to five local inquiries, including one in Oldham.
Yvette Cooper argues that these local investigations can be more targeted, victim-centered, and community-specific. Her position is that abuse and institutional failure need to be understood in the context of each affected community, rather than through a single overarching investigation that may overlook important nuances. According to Cooper, “a national inquiry risks being too broad, too delayed, and too removed from the specific needs of the victims.”
Yet critics are quick to point out that this approach risks repeating past mistakes. Victims and their advocates have accused local authorities of previously failing to act or even covering up the abuse to avoid political or racial tensions. Reform UK, in particular, argues that the same local bodies that failed to protect vulnerable children shouldn’t be trusted to investigate themselves.
This clash of visions—Reform UK’s call for central accountability versus Labour’s preference for local responsibility—has ignited a fierce political debate. On one hand, the government wants to appear responsive without alienating its core constituencies or inflaming social tensions. On the other, Reform UK accuses Labour of cowardice and political calculation.
For now, the government is standing firm, insisting that local inquiries, coupled with broader audits, are the right balance between justice and practicality. But with growing pressure from Reform councillors and public outrage showing no signs of fading, that position may become increasingly difficult to maintain.
Reaction from Victims and Communities
In the towns most affected by the grooming gang scandals, emotions remain raw. Survivors, many of whom have lived for years with the trauma of abuse, are speaking out more boldly than ever before. For them, the issue isn’t about politics—it’s about justice, closure, and ensuring that no other child has to endure what they did.
Many survivors feel betrayed, not just by their abusers, but by the very systems that were supposed to protect them. Social workers, police officers, and even school authorities are accused of having turned a blind eye. In some cases, girls who reported the abuse were disbelieved, blamed, or even treated as criminals themselves.
Groups like the Maggie Oliver Foundation, led by the former detective who helped expose the Rochdale abuse scandal, are calling for full transparency. They support a national inquiry, arguing that only a comprehensive investigation can uncover the full extent of institutional failings and ensure true accountability.
Local residents in places like Rotherham and Telford are also demanding answers. Many believe that their communities were sacrificed on the altar of political correctness and fear of offending cultural sensitivities. Reform UK’s messaging is resonating strongly here, offering a voice to those who feel ignored or dismissed by mainstream parties.
However, it’s important to note that not all responses are aligned with Reform UK’s approach. Some community leaders worry that the focus on ethnic identity could lead to stigmatization or backlash against entire communities. These concerns highlight the delicate balance between seeking justice and maintaining social cohesion.
Nonetheless, the overarching sentiment from victims and their families is clear: they want accountability. They want change. And they want the truth to be told—publicly, comprehensively, and without reservation.
The Debate: Local vs National Inquiry
At the core of this political firestorm is a fundamental disagreement: should investigations into grooming gangs be localized, focusing on specific communities and councils, or should there be one overarching national inquiry to examine systemic failures across the UK?
Supporters of local inquiries argue that they allow for deeper, more community-specific engagement. Each area has its own context, challenges, and history. A national body might miss critical nuances or be seen as an outsider imposing judgment from above. Furthermore, local inquiries can be faster to implement and more closely tied to actionable reforms within their communities.
On the flip side, critics argue that this piecemeal approach lacks the teeth needed to force real change. Local authorities may be too close to the issue—or too compromised by past failures—to conduct thorough investigations. There’s also a concern about consistency: different standards, different methods, and different outcomes can muddy the waters and leave the broader public with more questions than answers.
Reform UK’s proposal for a national inquiry is built on the belief that only a unified approach can ensure justice across the board. They argue that systemic problems require systemic solutions. From law enforcement to child protective services to cultural sensitivities, these issues are national in scope, not just local.
This debate is more than procedural—it’s ideological. It reflects differing visions of governance, responsibility, and justice. And as the political pressure mounts, the decision on which path to follow could have lasting implications for child protection policy and public trust in Britain’s institutions.
Legal and Political Challenges
Even if there is political will for a national inquiry, several legal and logistical barriers stand in the way. Statutory public inquiries are not easy to launch—they require significant funding, legal authority, and parliamentary approval. The process can be lengthy, expensive, and politically sensitive.
For the government, launching a national inquiry into grooming gangs could reopen old wounds, provoke racial tensions, and challenge the reputations of numerous public officials and institutions. The political cost could be high, especially if the inquiry uncovers further evidence of cover-ups or negligence.
There’s also the issue of scope. What exactly should the inquiry examine? Only certain towns? All regions? What time frame should it cover? And who should lead it? These questions complicate the planning and could easily become sources of political gridlock.
For Reform UK, these hurdles are precisely why they insist on parliamentary legislation. Farage has pledged that if elected nationally, his party will introduce a bill to establish the inquiry within its first month in office. This commitment sets a clear legislative target—but it would still face resistance from other parties, civil servants, and legal watchdogs.
Meanwhile, some legal experts warn that a poorly handled inquiry could backfire. If it’s seen as politically motivated or racially insensitive, it could deepen divisions rather than heal them. That’s why planning, transparency, and inclusive leadership are crucial to its success.
Despite these challenges, the pressure is building. The legal hurdles are real, but they may not be enough to stop a political wave that’s gathering strength with every new council seat Reform UK gains.
Reform UK’s Legislative Agenda
Reform UK is not just making noise—it’s laying down policy. In their recently updated manifesto, the party made a national inquiry into grooming gangs one of its flagship pledges. This isn’t a vague commitment—it’s a legislative promise. If elected to national office, Reform UK will introduce a bill within 30 days to launch a full statutory inquiry.
Their proposal includes:
- A nationwide review of all grooming gang cases from the past 30 years
- Full subpoena power to compel witnesses and access confidential records
- Protections for whistleblowers and victims who come forward
- Independent oversight to ensure transparency and impartiality
In addition to the inquiry, Reform UK also proposes a series of child protection reforms, including:
- Enhanced training for law enforcement and social workers
- Mandatory reporting of suspected child sexual exploitation
- Tougher sentences for those convicted of grooming and trafficking
- Improved support services for victims and survivors
By framing the issue as both a moral crusade and a legislative agenda, Reform UK is turning its platform into action. This strategy gives the party a clear identity—and a tangible plan that supporters can rally behind.
The big question now is whether their political momentum can carry them into Parliament in greater numbers. If it does, the grooming gang inquiry may go from a campaign promise to a national reckoning.
