A council has joined calls for the government to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation. At a full council meeting, North Northamptonshire Council urged the government to address concerns about perceived institutional shortcomings in tackling the crimes.

A grooming gang victim has pledged to fight for a new national inquiry into the scandal. Elizabeth Harper, who was abused in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, told a Reform UK conference in Chester that Britain “needs to see how far this actually goes”.

An attempt by the Conservatives to have the government set up a national inquiry into grooming gangs has been voted down by 364 votes to 111 votes, a margin of 253. The amendment was attached to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would have been killed had the vote passed.

Nigel Farage has renewed calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, criticising the Jay Review as inadequate. Speaking at Reform UK’s North West conference, he claimed a targeted investigation was needed into what he described as “deeply racist” crimes.