Councillors from across the political spectrum have welcomed the decision to include Bradford and Keighley in the Government’s national grooming gangs inquiry, with the Council leader urging politicians to put party politics aside and focus on victims.
Speaking during an extraordinary meeting of Bradford Council on Wednesday 24 June, Council Leader Stephen Place said the inquiry would bring “difficult conversations” for the district but insisted it must not become a “political football”.
The meeting had originally been called by the Conservative Group to urge the Government to include Bradford in the national review.
However, just six hours before councillors gathered, the Government announced that Bradford, alongside Oldham and London, would be among the first areas investigated by the independent inquiry.
Although the original motion was overtaken by events, councillors debated revised motions from the Conservative, Reform and Labour groups, each expressing support for the inquiry and pledging the Council’s cooperation and continued support for victims and survivors.
Councillor Rebecca Poulsen, leader of the Conservative Group, welcomed the announcement and praised Keighley and Ilkley MP Robbie Moore for his long-running campaign to secure a Bradford inquiry.
“Child grooming is abhorrent and appalling, and for far too long it was not taken seriously,” she said. “It was even covered up by some.”
She said the Council should provide whatever assistance was required to ensure the inquiry could establish the truth.
Labour Group leader Councillor Imran Khan also welcomed the inquiry but criticised attempts to turn the issue into a political contest.
“Why would you ever bring a partisan, party-political motion on this of all issues? I’m appalled,” he said.
He argued that all parties should unite behind victims rather than seek political advantage.
Councillor Sally Birch (Reform, Windhill and Wrose) echoed those sentiments, saying: “Protection of children should never be reduced to political point-scoring. This should not be about party advantage or protecting political reputations.”
Councillor Raphael Cohn (Conservative, Airedale) described child sexual exploitation as “a cancer” that had affected Bradford for decades.
“We must excise this cancer, but we must do it carefully,” he said.
Labour councillor Susan Fricker (Bingley) urged members to focus on survivors.
“Victims and survivors have told us that the protection of children must be beyond political point-scoring,” she said. “They want answers, not arguments.”
Councillor Ishtiaq Ahmed (Your Bradford Independent Group, Heaton and Frizinghall) described the inquiry as “a significant day” for victims and survivors.
“This is an opportunity for their voices to finally be heard,” he said. “It is also an opportunity and an obligation for public bodies to demonstrate openness and a willingness to learn.”
Green councillor Matt Edwards (Holme Wood and Bierley) said the debate should move beyond arguments over which political party had taken action first.
“I don’t believe the victims are interested in who said what or who was running the Council when,” he said. “They are interested in being believed.
“Child sexual exploitation is not simply a historic issue – it is happening now. Tackling grooming gangs should be a cross-party effort.”
Closing the debate, Councillor Place said one of his first actions after becoming Council leader had been to write to inquiry chair Ann Longfield CBE requesting Bradford’s inclusion.
“I didn’t do that on Reform-headed paper,” he said. “I did it on behalf of Bradford.
“We must now allow the inquiry to do its job.
“We must not allow this emotive subject to become a political football. The ‘I said this’ and ‘I did that’ has to stop. We must now listen to the difficult conversations coming down the line.”
Councillor Vaz Shabbir (Your Bradford Independent Group, Keighley Central) said Bradford’s inclusion represented an important step for victims and survivors.
“The reason all of us go into public service is to help the most vulnerable in society,” he said.
