Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer he risks fuelling accusations of "a cover up" by refusing to hold a national inquiry into grooming gangs. She also accused the PM of not wanting questions asked "of Labour politicians who may be complicit".

Victims want action today, the Prime Minister said, as the Tory leader repeated demands for a national inquiry into rape gangs

MPs have rejected a Conservative bid to push for another national inquiry into grooming gangs by 364 votes to 111.The Government’s draft child protection legislation passed its first Commons hurdle on Wednesday following a bitter Prime Minister’s Questions in which Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said failing to back a probe would fuel concerns about a “cover-up”.

Kemi Badenoch has dramatically failed in her attempt to sabotage the government's child welfare legislation in a bid to get another national inquiry into grooming gangs - see hjow your MP voted

An amendment to hold a national inquiry into the grooming gangs was rejected by MPs in a vote in the House of Commons. MPs voted by 364 votes to 111, a majority of 253, against the amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill after the Tories tried to stall the legislation.

In a shocking move, Sir Keir Starmer whipped his MPs to vote down the Conservative amendment to their child safety and education Bill, which would have blocked the legislation from going forward on the grounds it doesn't include the commitment to a new probe.

The education secretary warned that supporting symbolic Tory calls for a grooming gangs inquiry will kill a children’s safety bill ‘stone dead’

PMQs: Starmer and Badenoch clash on Grooming Gangs scandal

Sir Keir Starmer directly urged Kemi Badenoch to drop her call for a national inquiry on grooming gangs because it would mean derailing legislation aimed at bolstering the safety of children. At Prime Minister’s Questions Sir Keir said a further inquiry could delay action on tackling child sexual abuse,