DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Labour faces questions over child grooming

Detailed summary

Labour's response to the allegations against David Walliams has been uncharacteristically clear, robust and quick

Published: 00:59 GMT, 12 November 2026 | Updated: 00:59 GMT, 12 November 2026

Labour's response to the allegations against David Walliams has been uncharacteristically clear, robust and quick.

Within hours of the former Little Britain star being linked to grooming and other predatory behaviour involving teenagers, Downing Street - to the surprise of some - issued a statement about the ‘deeply troubling’ claims. Now Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is to summon senior broadcasting figures for talks on the plague of sexual abuse and harassment in the entertainment industry.

This sense of urgency contrasts starkly with Labour’s reaction to Baroness (Louise) Casey’s report on the Asian grooming gangs behind decades of horrific sexual offences against mainly young white girls. Almost 18 months after delivering her damning ‘audit’ of the authorities’ failures to deal with the scandal, Lady Casey says the Government has done little to implement its 20 recommendations.

Many observers believe Labour has been reluctant to grasp the nettle due to the potential impact on support for the party in Muslim communities. Among those in the hierarchy who previously resisted demands for a full national investigation was none other than Ms Nandy.

Her Cabinet colleague Lucy Powell, who launched a pathetic damage limitation campaign this week over the way she organised Ed Miliband’s cringeworthy 2015 interview with Russell Brand, has dismissively referred to discussion of the grooming gangs as a political ‘dog whistle’ issue.

Baroness Casey says the Government has done little to implement her 20 recommendations

It goes without saying that no right-thinking person could dream of downplaying Brand’s heinous crimes. It may be that Walliams ends up facing criminal charges at some point, but Labour has been remarkably quick to jump on the allegations when he hasn’t even been spoken to by the police – while sitting on its hands over Lady Casey’s findings on one of the most stomach-churning scandals in…

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