Newslinks for Tuesday the 17th June 2025

June 17, 2025

Badenoch accuses PM of an ‘extraordinary failure of leadership’ over grooming gangs

“Grooming gang victims were failed by cops and public officials more bothered about not being considered racist. A devastating report laid bare how the State was in “denial” over the rape and abuse of white girls. Dame Louise Casey found perpetrators got away with it because of fears about inflaming community tensions. Ministers have ordered an inquiry into the widespread cover-up of the crimes, which disproportionately involved Asian men, many of Pakistani heritage. The findings have forced the PM to bow to pressure for a national inquiry and pledge a package of measures to combat predators. But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir Starmer of “an extraordinary failure of leadership” after originally dismissing calls for a full inquiry. Baroness Casey says there have “been enough convictions across the country of groups of men from Asian ethnic backgrounds to have warranted closer examination” But she added: “Instead of examination, we have seen obfuscation. In a vacuum, incomplete and unreliable data is used to suit the ends of those presenting it.” – The Sun

All the times Starmer resisted a grooming gangs inquiry – Daily Telegraph
Casey report forces Starmer’s hand on issue that has haunted Labour for decades –Guardian
Grooming gang victim’s outrage as bombshell report published – ‘sacrificed for votes!’ – Daily Express
The Casey report: the authorities had a culture of denial – The Times
Authorities were in denial over Asian grooming gangs for fear of appearing racist, damning report finds as Yvette Coper apologises to victims… and FINALLY orders national inquiry – Daily Mail
Generation of girls let down by police, councils and MPs who ignored grooming gangs – The i
Police ‘avoided grooming gang investigations over racism fears’ – Daily Telegraph
More than 800 grooming gang cases to be reinvestigated alongside national inquiry – The i
Grooming gangs in UK thrived in ‘culture of ignorance’, Casey report says – Guardian
Labour MP slams Tories for not investigating grooming gangs despite begging them not to – Daily Express
Conspiracy of silence over grooming gangs’ race doomed thousands of girls to abuse: Sickening evidence covered up ‘for fear of appearing racist’, damning report finds – Daily Mail
Betrayed by State. Grooming gang victims failed by cops & politicians more worried about being called racist – as PM’s leadership slammed – The Sun
Asylum seekers behind new grooming gang cases – Daily Telegraph
The eight ways grooming gangs got away with their horrific abuse – as damning 200-page report reveals ‘timeline of failure’ which shamed Britain – Daily Mail
‘Whitehall tried to block Rotherham grooming scandal exposé’ – The Times

Comment

Cowardly PM gaslit survivors – Kemi Badenoch, The Sun
Blimey, Kemi went for it. And a black woman saying anti-racism wasn’t the most important thing fried her opponents’ brains – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
Rape gangs are the biggest scandal of our generation. It will sweep away failing leaders – Nick Timothy, Daily Telegraph
Starmer has known about the appalling abuse for a decade. Yet he opposed a national rape inquiry because he knew it would damage Labour – Dan Hodges, Daily Mail
Grooming gangs inquiry must root out racists who turned blind eye to rape – Brits want justice meted out equally – Ross Clark, The Sun
Grooming gangs report lays bare generational cover-up – Joan Smith, Unherd
Will Labour actually act on the Casey grooming gang report? – Isabel Hardman, Spectator

>Today

Trump and Starmer sign UK-US trade deal… then drop it

“Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer announced they had signed the UK-US trade deal – before the US president promptly dropped it on the floor. Mr Trump confirmed he would be bringing the terms of the deal into effect after he met the Prime Minister for talks at the G7 summit in Canada. Tariffs on UK car imports into the US will fall to 10 per cent and the British aerospace sector will be spared Mr Trump’s 10 per cent tariff, both kicking in at the end of the month. But reductions in steel tariffs on UK exports, which were expected to be scrapped, are not yet kicking in. They are set to remain at around 25 per cent until both sides agree to the change.” – Daily Telegraph

Donald Trump signs executive order to implement US-UK trade deal – FT
Donald Trump drops historic UK-US trade deal as it is officially agreed and leaves Starmer scrambling – Daily Mail
Moment Trump drops paperwork for US-UK trade deal after confirming it’s ‘done’ alongside Starmer at G7 summit in Canada – The Sun
Trump says UK is protected from tariffs ‘because I like them’ as trade deal is signed off – Guardian

….meanwhile, Trump leaves G7 early after warning Tehran to evacuate

“Donald Trump has left the G7 summit early to address the Middle East crisis after warning “everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran”. The US president spent much of the meeting in a minority of one, initially refusing to sign a joint statement on the Israel-Iran crisis, and indicating he would not join other nations in tightening sanctions on Russia. The Trump administration later confirmed that Mr Trump had agreed to sign the Middle East statement after “further discussions with G7 allies” and “subsequent changes to the initial draft”. A White House source [said] that he had refused to endorse an earlier draft that urged both sides to do more to avoid civilian casualties. The final version dropped that language and took a harder line on Iran…In it, G7 leaders called Iran “the principal source of regional instability and terror” and added that they “affirm that Israel has a right to defend itself”. – Daily Telegraph

Donald Trump leaves G7 early as Iran-Israel conflict intensifies – FT
Trump tells Tehran to ‘evacuate’ as he leaves G7 early – The i
Trump exits G7 Summit early – despite being due to meet Zelensky – Daily Express
Israel strikes Iranian state TV after issuing Tehran evacuation order – FT
Iranian state TV is bombed during live broadcast as Tehran’s leaders show first signs of crumbling in wake of Israeli strikes amid radiation warning at targeted nuclear plants – Daily Mail
Pro-Palestinian protesters are threatening me, says MP – The Times

BMA lets junior doctors join for free to promote strike vote

“The British Medical Association has been accused of “Corbynista entryism” for offering three months’ free membership so that doctors can vote in a strike ballot. The ballot paper also contains the inaccurate claim that doctors have had “repeated below-inflation pay awards” — when in fact they have been given pay rises above inflation for two years in a row, amounting to the biggest increase in the public sector. The BMA is balloting about 50,000 resident doctors — formerly known as junior doctors — for six months of strike action that could last until the New Year. The union’s leaders are urging non-members to sign up to the BMA as the strike ballot continues, swelling membership ranks so that turnout reaches the 50 per cent threshold required.” – The Times

MPs to debate biggest change to UK abortion law in 50 years

“MPs will vote on decriminalising abortion tomorrow with the Commons expected to back the biggest change to abortion law in Britain for half a century. If approved by MPs women would no longer face prosecution if they aborted their own baby based on its sex, after the legal limit of 24 weeks, or without approval from doctors. The vote is shaping up to be fractious with two Labour MPs who are both seeking to decriminalise abortion competing to have amendments that will radically alter the law selected. Currently abortion is a criminal offence in England and Wales unless it takes place before 24 weeks into a pregnancy and with the approval of doctors. There are limited circumstances allowing a woman to access an abortion after 24 weeks, including when the mother’s life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability. Six women have appeared in court in the last three years charged with ending or attempting to end their own pregnancy – a crime with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.” – Daily Mail

>Yesterday

Treasury minister fails to locate Lower Thames Crossing in awkward interview

“A Treasury minister announcing a new investment in a multibillion-pound road tunnel was unable to say where it was being built and how much it cost. Emma Reynolds, the MP for Wycombe, was sent out on Monday morning to do a series of broadcast interviews about the government’s infrastructure investment. At the heart of the announcement was £590 million in funding for the Lower Thames Crossing. However, Reynolds struggled with basic details about the project. Nick Ferrari, a presenter on LBC, asked Reynolds where the tunnel would be located. “Well, um, you’ll forgive me, I can’t recall the landing zones,” she said. He responded: “So the crossing that you’re talking about, you don’t know where it is?” Reynolds struggled to answer as she pored over the briefing notes in front of her. Ferrari eventually told her that the landing points were Gravesend in Kent and Tilbury in Essex. Reynolds replied: “Tilbury, yep, it was Tilbury that I couldn’t … yep.” – The Times

Treasury minister’s car crash interview – Spectator
Treasury minister Emma Reynolds suffers live interview meltdown as she has no idea of cost or location of new £10bn River Thames crossing she is announcing – Daily Mail
Cringe moment Labour minister has no idea how much new £10bn tunnel costs or where it is – The Sun

Tory MP cupped two women’s breasts while drunk, court told

“A Conservative MP allegedly cupped the breasts of two women while drunk at a private members’ club in central London, a court has been told. Patrick Spencer, 37, of Suffolk, is said to have sexually assaulted both complainants at the Groucho club on August 12, 2023. Westminster magistrates’ court was told that one of the alleged victims felt “shocked and embarrassed” while both women said they did not consent to being touched in this way. The MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich has denied two counts of sexual assault.” – The Times