BUSINESS Secretary Peter Kyle has denied that the Government is trying to sabotage the national inquiry into grooming gangs.
He told GB News: “No, absolutely not. We are determined to get that inquiry up and running as quickly as possible. It is absolutely important that we get it right, though, and that’s what we’re absolutely focused on.
“So right now, this is one of these moments where we focus on those victims. We are determined to get to the truth. We are determined to make sure this never happens again. And we are determined that all of those victims get the justice they deserve. We need to get it right. That is what we’re focused on.
“Well, look what I can’t do is give a running commentary on setting up of the inquiry, because what we are determined to do is get this inquiry right.
“Believe me, every single person, no one more so than the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, wants to get this inquiry right. We are, yes, we are doing whatever it takes to get the right people into the right places so that we can have an inquiry that finally sheds light on everything that happened.
“There [are] no no-go limits when it comes to this inquiry. We are focused on getting to the truth for those victims, and that is what we are. We are absolutely determined to do this.”
Asked if Prince Andrew’s dukedom should be removed by Parliament, he said: “These are matters for the King. My concern today, particularly on the day when we learn more revelations based on the book from Virginia Giuffre that all of our thoughts are with the victims of Epstein.
“We need to make sure that anybody out there who has anything to anything that could contribute towards justice for those victims is sharing that information as openly and freely as possible.
“But matters for dukedoms and those sorts of things are all matters for the King, and I think the King has acted swiftly whenever that’s been presented to him.”
He added: “Well, I believe Parliament will be dealing with these issues in the normal way. And also His Majesty, the King has said that he wants Parliament to be focused on the big issues before Parliament at the moment, because Parliament is extremely busy.
“The House of Commons is extremely busy. But I think already we’ve seen that the Duke is not going to be using the title anymore, and that’s come directly from the King. I just want to make sure that we can focus on victims today.
“This is another moment where more horrors of what those young women experienced in the orbit of Jeffrey Epstein are announced to us all. These are moments where we must focus on those victims, and anything that brings justice for them must be done.”
