Sir Keir Starmer could be summoned to give evidence at grooming gangs inquiry

Sir Keir Starmer, the former prime minister, could be summoned to give evidence at the grooming gangs inquiry. He has been granted core participant status for the hearings, which are due to begin in December. This status allows individuals and groups to formally participate in the investigation. The inquiry is examining serious failures identified in the response to child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs in various areas across Britain, including Birmingham, Bradford, Keighley, London, Oldham, and Wales. Baroness Anne Longfield is leading the inquiry, which has a £65 million budget and is expected to run for three years. The inquiry will focus on child sexual abuse committed by grooming gangs and examine offenders' backgrounds, including their ethnicity and religion. Several women, including survivor Fiona Goddard, resigned from the inquiry's victim liaison panel due to disputes over its scope.