david lawrence

As I suspected, the Rape Gang Inquiry has become politically aligned, and there is no coincidence in the timing. From Rupert Lowe’s split with Reform, to the creation of the CIC, to the launch of Restore as a political party, to local elections, and now the Makerfield by election, major announcements have repeatedly landed around political flashpoints. That does not automatically make the report wrong. It does, however, raise legitimate questions about whether a victim-led inquiry became intertwined with a political project. As I gradually withdrew my support, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the political alignment of the timeline. The report is out today and will now be judged on its merits. Coincidence, or exactly what many of us suspected all along?

County lines are PHONE LINES, not border demarcations. You can’t traffic people over them. The Rape Gang Inquiry Report is junk.

It has been ten years since our friend and colleague Jo Cox was murdered by a far-right terrorist. She was a dedicated mother, a fierce campaigner and a deeply committed Member of Parliament. Her conviction that we have more in common than that which divides us lives on beyond her death. We all wish Jo was still here with us today, and we will continue to honour her legacy by standing by her message of hope and unity in the face of hatred and division.