Tom Crowther KC to work with Oldham Council on a Telford-style inquiry into child sexual exploitation

Oldham Liberal Democrat Opposition Leader councillor Howard Sykes MBE has welcomed the announcement that Tom Crowther KC – who led Telford’s inquiry into child sexual exploitation – will work with Oldham Council to develop a new inquiry into abuse.

Councillor Sykes said, “This is a long-overdue step in the right direction.  It has taken years of campaigning to finally get to a stage where survivors are being heard by the government.  I welcome this announcement and Oldham Liberal Democrats are ready to work to get proper justice for Oldham.  We fully expect the Labour controlled council to get behind this process and engage openly and we hope that the government will make give the new inquiry the proper powers it needs to pursue justice.”

The announcement that Tom Crowther KC will work with Oldham Council’s leadership was made by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper MP in the House of Commons today (16/01).

Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesperson Josh Babarinde MP – himself a survivor of abuse – said, “Too many survivor’s stories have been ignored, hidden or gaslit. And recently, too many stories have been used as a political football. The work to get these inquiries set up must start now.”