London Mayor Sadiq Khan is under mounting pressure to resign following the exposure of a major grooming gangs scandal in the capital. The Metropolitan Police has begun reviewing 9,000 cases of child sexual exploitation over the past 15 years, a period during which Khan has served as mayor for 10 years.
Khan Accused of 'Living Under a Rock'
A vulnerable 13-year-old victim, who told the Daily Express she was repeatedly transported by her abusers from Oxford and locked in rooms across the country, said the "Mayor is living under a rock." She added: "I don't think it's possible for us to say that in the country's largest city, there wouldn't be a problem with grooming. If it can happen in a posh, wealthy city like Oxford, it's definitely happening in London. And probably has been since the 90s."
Official Inquiry Launched
This week, it was confirmed that London will be one of the first places investigated in a statutory independent inquiry into grooming gangs, alongside Oldham and Bradford and Keighley. The inquiry stated there were "serious questions about how and why institutions tasked with protecting children frequently failed to do so." It will examine how institutions and services responded to grooming gangs and why recommendations from previous reviews—more than 800 identified to date—were not consistently implemented.
The inquiry said an "early investigation" is needed because London "has the highest rate of referrals for child sexual exploitation" in the country and has extensive transport links connecting the entire country.
Political Reactions
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp welcomed the inquiry but called it "painfully slow," noting: "It has taken months to come up with a list of just three places, when we know the rape gangs were active in 50 towns. The inquiry's work needs to be urgently sped up."
Express Investigations Editor Zak Garner-Purkis recently told Khan there was a "denial" from those in power. A spokesperson for Sir Sadiq Khan said he regarded gangs that exploit children for sex as "utterly abhorrent" and wanted justice for "every single victim." However, Khan has faced widespread criticism for his approach, particularly after he suggested that the issue in London was different from other areas.
Khan Welcomes Inquiry
On a visit to a school in east London on Wednesday, Sir Sadiq welcomed the inquiry. He said: "It's really important that we have the victims and survivors at the fore of our minds and that's one of the reasons why marking your own homework is not good enough." He added: "It's really important no stone is left unturned when it comes to ensuring the victims and survivors get justice and anybody responsible for all their heinous crimes are brought to book."
The Metropolitan Police said it would go back 15 years to investigate cases and ensure there is "no perpetrator that should have been prosecuted but hasn't been." A police spokesperson stated: "It's really important to get reassurance that all things that could have been done were done, but also reassurance to victims and survivors that they will get justice."
Poll: Should Sadiq Khan Resign?
The Daily Express is asking readers: Should Sadiq Khan resign over the grooming gangs scandal? Vote in the poll below or join the discussion in the comments.
