Starmer could be summoned to give evidence at grooming gangs inquiry
Developing story first seen 3 hours ago
The inquiry has granted former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer core participant status, giving him formal rights to take part and making it possible he could be summoned to give evidence. The status does not mean he will automatically be required to testify; hearings are due to begin in December.
The £65 million inquiry, led by former children’s commissioner Baroness Anne Longfield, will run for three years and can compel witnesses and require organisations to hand over documents. It is examining failures in responses to child sexual exploitation in areas including Birmingham, Bradford, Keighley, London, Oldham and parts of Wales. The inquiry followed criticism of Starmer’s initial resistance to a national probe and faced delays, resignations and disputes over its scope.
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In short
- Starmer has core participant status in the inquiry.
- He could be called to give evidence, but this is not automatic.
- Hearings are due to begin in December.
How this story developed
- 3 minutes ago Former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been granted core participant status in the grooming gangs inquiry he ordered in 2025.
- 6 minutes ago The inquiry has granted former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer core participant status, giving him formal rights to take part and making it possible he could be summoned to give evidence.
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The case for
Calling Starmer to give evidence could help establish how decisions about the inquiry were made, why it was initially resisted and what lessons officials drew from earlier investigations. His formal involvement may support scrutiny of the government’s handling of the issue and reinforce the inquiry’s aim of identifying institutional failures.
The case against
Compelling Starmer to testify may draw attention towards political decisions about the inquiry at the expense of examining the abuse, victims’ experiences and local institutional failures. If his evidence does not bear directly on the inquiry’s core questions, calling him could consume time and resources or create an impression of political theatre.
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