By GB News (World News) | Created at 2025-01-11 11:20:11 | Updated at 2025-01-11 13:58:57
2 hours ago
Political commentator Aman Bhogal has launched a scathing attack on Health Secretary Wes Streeting, accusing him of "patronising" Pakistani communities in his recent comments about grooming gang rhetoric.
Bhogal criticised Streeting's intervention on the sensitive issue, declaring that the Health Secretary was "trying to patronise the Pakistani community again this morning by speaking on their behalf."
The remarks come after Streeting warned in a Guardian interview that inflammatory language over grooming gangs risks vilifying entire communities and could lead to violence similar to the New Zealand mosque massacre.
Streeting told The Guardian that while he had "no difficulty or qualms" calling out "sickening" crimes of sexual abuse gangs, inflammatory rhetoric posed serious risks.
"The British people can be trusted with the truth. And that's what the truth ultimately will help rebuild, these connections between the different communities that make up the UK.
"I would also say if you were a young white girl walking down a street in Rotherham or in Rochdale, then you would be quite aware of your surroundings.
"You have a situation where in Rotherham, one in every 57 Pakistani men were prosecuted for child sexual offences.
"That's a significant number in a local community. We need the truth to be out. We need communities to be able to call these people out.
Wes Streeting warned that there is a risk of vilifying the Pakistani community
PA
"Where are the Pakistani community leaders?
"I think Wes Streeting is trying to patronize the Pakistani community again this morning by speaking on their behalf. We need Pakistani community leaders to be talking on this."
A local Rotherham inquiry uncovered the sexual abuse of 1,400 children over 16 years, mainly by British Pakistani men.
In Telford, up to 1,000 girls faced abuse over 40 years, with some cases overlooked due to "nervousness about race" as most suspects were men of south Asian heritage.
A new YouGov poll has revealed that more than three-quarters of Britons would support calls for a national inquiry into the shocking revelation.
The survey, commissioned by the Women's Policy Centre, found 76 per cent of 2,533 adults back demands for a national investigation into the sexual abuse of children by grooming gangs.
Labour has defended its position against calls for a national inquiry, pointing to its support for local investigations.
A Labour spokesperson said the party "will welcome and support an independent investigation commissioned by Oldham Council which puts victims' voices at its heart.
