The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition faced off in Westminster today (Image: Getty)
The credibility of both Sir Keir Starmer and is on the line over the grooming gang scandal that has horrified the nation.
Mrs Badenoch used to present the Labour leader as a foot-dragger who is refusing to launch a national inquiry into “one of the worst scandals in recent British history” which she claims is “almost certainly still going on”.
She alleged Sir Keir “doesn’t want questions asked of Labour politicians who may be complicit”.
Even by the combative standards of the House of Commons, these are high stakes allegations. She said if he does not act then “people will start to worry about a cover-up”.
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Sir Keir came to the chamber prepared for this sort of attack – and was ready to turn his own fire on the Conservative leader. He is determined to present her as a bandwagon-jumper who failed to champion this issue when her own party was in power.
He mocked her “recently acquired view that it’s a scandal”, saying that she “spent a lot of time on social media over Christmas”.
Doubling down on his attempts to present the as opportunists, he warned they risked killing flagship legislation to protect children by adding an amendment calling for a national inquiry.
He defended his own past role as Director of Public Prosecutions, insisting he took measures to tackle the issue “head-on”. And he warned that a new nationwide inquiry could – to the concern of victims – delay action until 2031.Mrs Badenoch knows this is an issue that worries citizens across the country, and insists that the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse did not exhaustively cover every issue.
“In Rotherham alone there have been over 1,400 victims,” she said. “Across Oldham, Bradford, Bristol, Rochdale and dozens more towns there have been thousands more victims but no one has joined the dots. No one has the total picture and it is almost certainly still going on.”
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This is dangerous territory for both party leaders. There is no more sensitive issue than the abuse and rape of women and girls.
Sir Keir’s problems will intensify if millions of voters decide he does not want an inquiry because it could unearth uncomfortable truths in Labour strongholds.
But Mrs Badenoch must not look as if she is following the marching orders of . Sir Keir condemned “lies and misinformation and slinging of mud”.
An issue of profound public concern has put centre-stage the integrity, judgement and leadership of the duo.