Robert Jenrick on BBC Breakfast this morning (Image: BBC)
Child sexual exploitation is “one of the most appalling racially aggravated crimes in our country’s history”, Robert Jenrick has said.
Asked whether the had done enough to tackle the issue in government, the shadow justice secretary repeatedly told Breakfast “more needs to be done”.
He said: “Clearly more needed to be done, that’s why I think we have to take this forward, that’s why we do need to have a fully national inquiry.”
Arguing that “a number of significant steps were taken” by Conservative home secretaries, Mr Jenrick also called for perpetrators to receive whole-life sentences.
He said: “I have long advocated going further than that and saying you should have a full-life sentence if you are a grooming gang perpetrator, so you never see the light of day, so you go to jail, you don’t step foot out on the streets of our country in 10 years or so, as is happening at the moment.
“This is one of the most appalling racially aggravated crimes in our country’s history. It must be taken more seriously by everyone.”
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Pressed again on whether the in Government did enough, Mr Jenrick said again “I think we have to do more”.
It was put to him that he was not answering the question by responding with what needs to happen in the future, instead of reflecting on the past.
Jenrick, who insisted “I am answering the question, added: “Clearly more needed to be done, that’s why I think we have to take this forward, that’s why we do need to have a fully national inquiry.”
Arguing that “a number of significant steps were taken” by Conservative home secretaries, Mr Jenrick also called for perpetrators to receive whole-life sentences.
He said: “I have long advocated going further than that and saying you should have a full-life sentence if you are a grooming gang perpetrator, so you never see the light of day, so you go to jail, you don’t step foot out on the streets of our country in 10 years or so, as is happening at the moment.
“This is one of the most appalling racially aggravated crimes in our country’s history. It must be taken more seriously by everyone.”
Meanwhile the victims minister was unable to provide a timeline for implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, saying the Government was working “quickly”.
Alex Davies-Jones said: “I can’t give you a timeline but what I can tell you is we are working very, very quickly.
“A lot of these recommendations can be implemented quickly. As you heard from the Home Secretary yesterday, we’ve already begun that work and some of those new offences that have been announced will be in our Crime and Policing Bill brought in later this year.”
She also said her party will vote against Kemi Badenoch’s call for a full public inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.
The minister insisted the government was focused on implementing the recommendation of a previous inquiry into the issue, carried out by Professor Alexis Jay when the were still in power.