Finally, we heard it. At PMQs today, the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, dropped the euphemism ‘grooming’ and said ‘rape gangs’ to describe the networks of predominantly Muslim men who prey on underage girls. Sir Keir tried to defuse the issue in his opening comments by dismissing calls for a national enquiry. ‘The Jay inquiry… [took] seven years, which would take us with a further inquiry to 2031,’ he said. (Perhaps he meant 2032.) He knows why a new inquiry would take years just to get started. Every cop and local councillor, fearing prison, would lawyer-up at public expense to minimise their culpability.
As for the issue of rape gangs, it’s here to stay
But he blamed the victims for creating these obstacles. ‘Victims and survivors do not want to be rushed through this process. It’s not sensible to suggest this could be done in a hurry,’ he said. Ludicrously, he claimed that Kemi’s timing was the problem.
‘I can’t recall her once raising this issue in the house … Only in recent days has she jumped on the bandwagon.’ He offered to withdraw that comment if it proved inaccurate.
‘He’s being very specific,’ said Kemi, and she admitted that she hadn’t raised the issue in parliament but had mentioned it elsewhere. As if this matters. Sadly, it makes a big difference to our MPs who saw that Kemi had successfully blocked Sir Keir’s attempted gotcha. A tiny victory for her. No wonder politicians have sunk so low in public esteem.
The issue of mass rape in English towns didn’t merit a mention from any Muslim MP. Why would they bother? The scandal has turned into an ornamental jousting contest between mainstream politicians. If you watched PMQs today you’d assume that race and religion had no bearing on the organised rape of white children. Faith wasn’t mentioned. Nor was ethnicity. MPs are practising the kind of self-censorship that let the rapists rape with impunity.
A few Labour MPs welcomed the sprawling new housing estates that are due to arrive from nowhere by 2030. Sir Keir reminded us of his target. ‘1.5 million homes,’ he beamed. Seriously? That’s 821 a day including weekends and bank holidays. The clock is already ticking. Since 1 January, over 6,500 new freeholders should have held a house-warming party by now. Perhaps the target will slip.
Dame Meg Hillier believes that Sir Keir’s policy will solve the ‘appalling overcrowding’ in Hackney where parents are sleeping on sofas while their numberless children are squished up ‘in triple bunks.’ Sir Keir sprang to Dame Meg’s rescue by citing a ‘social housing’ fund of £100 million for the Greater London Authority. Which sounds great. But property in Hackney costs about £300,000 per bedroom. So £100 million will shelter roughly 400 residents. Or two dinghies full.
Sir Roger Gale, for the Tories, revived the issue of rapists and asked specifically about Sir Keir’s role as the chief prosecutor.
‘Could he tell the house why he declined to instigate a prosecution against Mohammad Fayed?’
‘That case never crossed my desk,’ said Sir Keir. Poor Sir Roger doesn’t know the difference between an investigation and a trial. Fayed was never charged with sexual abuse so the question of a court case didn’t arise.
As for the issue of rape gangs, it’s here to stay. Labour’s refusal to mount an official inquiry makes no difference. This is Hillsborough multiplied by thousands.
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