The Lowe Inquiry
Ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe launched his own crowdfunded "national inquiry" into the rape gang scandal, raising over £600,000 from public donations. A genuine grassroots effort, but one plagued by competitive smearing and lacking statutory authority.
Staffing has been dogged by infighting and amateur use of Instagram-style surveys to collect "evidence". Whilst well-intentioned, it lacks a basic website, qualified staff, or the legal powers needed for a proper investigation.
Cummings: Officials Wanted "Total Cover-Up"
Dominic Cummings, Chief Adviser to Boris Johnson, described "multiple conspiracies" to cover up reports of child abuse by the Department of Education, and local councils, over two decades.
No names have been given, no prosecutions have happened, and the Establishment is unwilling and unable to hold itself to account.
Independent Commission on Grooming Gangs
The Home Secretary "accepted" Casey's recommendations, and announced a "fact-finding" commission with no criminal powers in which other people would investigate themselves.
Although it will have statutory powers under the Inquiries Act, it will only "coordinate local inquiries" rather than conduct a proper national investigation. It will not investigate national bodies or central institutions.
Casey Audit on Group-Based CSE
Baroness Louise Casey conducted a rapid national audit examining the nature, scale and characteristics of gang-based exploitation, specifically looking at ethnicity and cultural drivers. She said there had been institutional "obfuscation" instead of "examination."
Despite being the most thorough investigation yet, the audit had no statutory powers, limited evidence to work with, and could only provide "recommendations" rather than enforce accountability or prosecution.
Miah: Councillors Protected Offenders
Former government advisor and ex-counter terrorism officer Raja Miah, a Muslim Labour party member first spoke up about Islamic rape gangs in 1997, claiming councillors in Labour constituencies are involved in covering up crime for political gain.
Miah has been smeared and threatened by other Muslims for speaking out, whilst being on the end of a campaign to discredit his claims.
Home Office Report on Group-Based CSE
An "external reference group" of academics, law enforcement, victim advocates, and parliament workers produced a paper for the government obscuring the ethnic disparity in offending, which oddily reached the conclusions they were aiming for.
Described as a "lazy report" with "simple cut and paste" methodology. It appeared designed more to downplay uncomfortable truths than reveal them.
Operation Hydrant
A national coordinating group established to oversee investigations into historic child abuse cases involving institutions and prominent individuals. By 2022, over 7,000 suspects had been identified across 18,000+ allegations.
It only covered "historic" offences and received no meaningful political support or media coverage. 51% resulted in no further action. The operation has now effectively fizzled out.
The Alexis Jay Report
Professor Alexis Jay's independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, finding at least 1,400 children had been sexually abused between 1997 and 2013.
It was not a statutory inquiry and could only provide "recommendations". It led to resignations and hand-wringing, but no fundamental systemic change or criminal accountability for those who enabled the abuse.
Enough with the Reports
Twenty years of inquiries, reports, and recommendations. Thousands of pages of findings. Hundreds of recommendations ignored. Meanwhile, the abuse continues and justice remains elusive.
It's time for a proper statutory inquiry with real powers of compulsion, criminal sanctions for non-compliance, and the authority to hold institutions accountable. The victims deserve nothing less.