SNP Government Announces Public Inquiry into Grooming Gangs After Months of Opposition
In a dramatic reversal of policy, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth stood before the Scottish Parliament yesterday to announce that the SNP government will, after all, grant a public inquiry into grooming gangs. This long-awaited decision represents a significant U-turn and is the very least that survivors and victims' support groups in Scotland deserve. For months, these groups, alongside the Scottish Conservatives, have been campaigning tirelessly for such an inquiry, only to face staunch resistance from the SNP for reasons that remain perplexing.
A Belated Response to Appalling Crimes
Most observers will rightly question why Nationalist ministers have taken so long to do the right thing. As Ms Gilruth herself admitted, this inquiry is the obvious response to some of the most appalling and repulsive crimes imaginable. Survivors have provided shocking testimonies of their abuse and, as she noted, 'quite rightly, called for meaningful change'. With remarkable audacity, she outlined a series of reasons why the inquiry should now proceed swiftly and with 'the fullest investigatory powers required'. However, her statement failed to clarify why John Swinney's government could not have reached this conclusion months earlier.
This reluctance mirrors the initial hesitation of Keir Starmer's government in England and Wales to launch an inquiry into organised child abuse, though they eventually acknowledged its importance last June. Even at that stage, it was evident that such vile crimes did not respect borders, yet the SNP continued to insist that an existing inquiry into historical child abuse would suffice. They remained unconvinced by victims' calls for a full investigation into systemic sexual exploitation by organised gangs, despite indications that such abuse might still be ongoing.
Victims Felt Ignored and Betrayed
Abuse victims have felt profoundly ignored by the SNP government. An opportunity to address this arose when an amendment to the Victims Bill, tabled to allow for a full inquiry, was rejected. Instead, the SNP and Greens shamefully voted together to block this measure, resulting in a Victims Bill in name only. During the same debate, they also voted down provisions to ensure victims would be informed if a decision were made not to prosecute someone and when plea deals were struck between defence and prosecution lawyers.
The government's failure to act reached a disgraceful low when Justice Secretary Angela Constance misrepresented the views of grooming gangs expert Alexis Jay to justify blocking an inquiry. After Professor Jay complained, Ms Constance was forced to apologise for misleading parliament—twice—yet received unwavering support from John Swinney and retained her position, despite this clear breach of the ministerial code. This sent a clear message: protecting Ms Constance, even after she distorted facts to frustrate victims' wishes, was the priority, while public protection and justice were secondary.
Shocking Cases Highlight Urgent Need
The SNP's obstinacy became even more baffling late last year when shocking reports emerged of the abuse of Taylor, a girl in care in Glasgow, by an organised gang. Despite police awareness of the allegations, no further action was taken. When challenged at First Minister's Questions, John Swinney praised the victim's courage but still refused to commit to an inquiry, even as other brave survivors offered testimony and demanded that the UK probe be extended to Scotland. This included an account from a victim trafficked from England to Glasgow as a child and raped by groups of men.
Further cases underscored the urgency, such as the conviction of a Romanian grooming gang in Dundee for sexually abusing ten women, and a gang of seven men and women in Glasgow convicted on 49 charges, including abuse towards children. Even after police confirmed that reports of online child abuse had doubled in a year, the First Minister continued to bury his head in the sand, offering warm words but arguing that a dedicated inquiry was not the best use of resources or would interfere with the historical abuse investigation.
A Welcome but Overdue Concession
Yesterday, Jenny Gilruth finally conceded that the inquiry long called for by the Scottish Conservatives and victims' groups—specifically examining Scotland's handling of group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation—was 'essential'. In an extraordinary reversal, it has been confirmed that Professor Alexis Jay will lead this belated inquiry. The Cabinet Secretary promised that institutions which had the power to act when victims spoke up but failed to do so would be held accountable.
While this is a welcome concession, the proof will be in the pudding. Survivors and victims have not yet received answers, only the first step towards the rigorous investigation they deserve. This cannot become another SNP tick-box exercise from a government known for its addiction to secrecy and aversion to accountability. It is crucial that the inquiry's independence is guaranteed and that it leaves no stone unturned, as Ms Gilruth promised. Clear terms of reference and a timescale must also be provided.
Survivors have felt ignored and betrayed prior to this forced U-turn. This inquiry is essential to uncovering the scale of organised abuse in Scotland, understanding why it was allowed to go unchecked, and preventing gangs from targeting more vulnerable children in the future. The SNP should be ashamed of how long it has taken to do the right thing, and they must ensure that victims are not let down again.
