What grooming gang chair announcement means for Oldham as town to be at centre of investigation

The national inquiry into grooming gangs is finally progressing after delays, with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood appointing Baroness Anne Longfield as the Chair. Oldham, a key area in this debate, will be one of the first places investigated. The local inquiry will be scrapped, but survivors’ voices will be prioritized in the national report. Longfield is expected to visit Oldham in the New Year to engage with survivors.

Councillor Arooj Shah emphasised the importance of allowing survivors to share their experiences and seek accountability for past failures. The inquiry aims to address difficult truths, including potential biases in how authorities perceive victims and their backgrounds. Some MPs, like Jim McMahon, highlighted the complexities of class in this context, noting that those in authority often had different perspectives from the affected girls.

While many local councillors are supportive, some survivors feel the inquiry’s focus on “grooming gangs” limits broader experiences of group-based abuse. Sam Walker-Roberts, a survivor on the government panel, expressed concern that important aspects of her story may not be included, suggesting the government is succumbing to public pressure on this sensitive issue.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News