The Mayor of Better Manchester “didn’t grasp the nettle” and completely examine rape gangs in Oldham, Maggie Oliver stated.
Andy Burnham has confronted recent criticism over the grooming gang scandal (Picture: Getty)
Andy Burnham “turned away” from grooming gang victims after failing to point out sufficient management, the whistleblower who uncovered the Rochdale scandal has warned. The Mayor of Better Manchester “didn’t grasp the nettle” and completely examine rape gangs in Oldham, Maggie Oliver stated.
Ms Oliver stated the probes ought to have uncovered extra cover-ups. Mr Burnham arrange evaluations of allegations of cover-ups of historic youngster sexual abuse and exploitation in Manchester and Rochdale as quickly as he grew to become mayor in 2017.
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They revealed proof of institutional failings and proof of canopy ups.
However Ms Oliver stated the probes may have gone additional and uncovered cover-ups.
She informed Occasions Radio: “I’ve labored with him fairly intently on the impartial evaluations he put collectively taking a look at youngster sexual exploitation, grooming gangs in Manchester.
“The Oldham assessment was squeezed and in my view, primarily based on all my expertise, that was nothing lower than a cover-up.
“I’m wondering, I’ve repeatedly requested myself why is that? I feel that taking a look at Augusta and Rochdale, he knew that the reality was already on the market.
“Now that was meant to have a look at what had occurred since 2019 up till 2025. What occurred in that, in my view, in my expertise, was really a cover-up and it was a paper train and what it led to was the resignation of the 2 impartial reviewers who had spent six years scrutinising Better Manchester Police.
“As an alternative, HMIC got here in and they didn’t converse to a single sufferer or a single survivor who had been caught within the final seven years of working with GMP.
“So what I’ve come to see and imagine is that while the PR machine wheeled out very nicely about what was already within the public enviornment, when it got here to actually exhibiting management and braveness and gripping what’s going on now, sadly he turned away and we missed an enormous alternative to actually deliver modifications which are wanted.
“We’ve got seen some change in Better Manchester Police. I do assume Stephen Watson is much better than the earlier incumbent, Ian Hopkins, however Andy Burnham didn’t grasp the nettle in relation to the ultimate a part of that assessment.”
Reform UK chief Nigel Farage will spotlight Mr Burnham’s document on grooming gangs within the Makerfield by-election.
Mr Farage informed The Telegraph: “Burnham failed the grooming gang victims and he’ll fail the individuals of Makerfield too.
“He can be a catastrophe for the financial system and betray each Brexit voter within the constituency. Open Borders Burnham have to be stopped.”
A spokesperson for Better Manchester Mixed Authority (GMCA) stated: “In 2017, the Mayor commissioned a wide-ranging impartial assessment into historic youngster sexual exploitation in Better Manchester.
“The primary three components of the assessment revealed systemic failures to guard kids, and our public companies have needed to reform radically to deal with these failings.
“Since 2021, Better Manchester Police’s CSE Main Investigations Group has arrested greater than 140 individuals, leading to a number of convictions.
“Half 4, which checked out present observe within the system, was undertaken by the devoted and skilled groups at HMICFRS and Ofsted, giving it statutory powers to entry the knowledge they wanted to make sure a complete and unflinching investigation.
“Their report discovered clear proof that Better Manchester has responded to these historic failings and made actual modifications – however we’re not complacent and we proceed to drive enhancements throughout our system.
“Nothing could make up for what occurred to the victims of those crimes, however we’re decided that they are going to be listened to and guarded, and the perpetrators can be dropped at justice.”
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