Andy Burnham slammed by whistleblower for ‘turning away’ from grooming | Politics | News
Andy Burnham faces fresh criticism over grooming gang scandal (Image: Getty)
The whistleblower who exposed the Rochdale scandal has warned Andy Burnham has “reneged” on grooming gang victims after failing to show adequate leadership. The Mayor of Greater Manchester is “not grasping the nettles” and is thoroughly investigating rape gangs in Oldham, Maggie Oliver has said.
Ms Oliver said investigations needed to uncover more cover-ups. As soon as Mr Burnham became mayor in 2017, he launched investigations into allegations of a cover-up of historic child sexual abuse and exploitation in Manchester and Rochdale.
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They uncovered evidence of institutional failures and cover-ups.
But Ms Oliver said investigations could go further and cover-ups could be uncovered.
He told Times Radio: “I worked quite closely with him on the independent reviews he put together into child sexual abuse and gang grooming in Manchester.
“The Oldham review was compressed and in my opinion, from all my experience, it was nothing more than a cover-up.
“I wonder, I asked myself over and over why this happened? I think when he looked at Augusta and Rochdale he knew the truth was already there.”
“The purpose of this was to look at what happened from 2019 to 2025. “In my view, in my experience, this was essentially a cover-up and a paper exercise, and what that led to was the resignation of two independent reviewers who spent six years examining Greater Manchester Police.
“Instead HMIC came along and they have not spoken to a single victim or survivor caught working with GMP in the last seven years.
“What I’ve come to see and believe is that while the PR machine has made a very good case for what’s already happening in the public sphere, when it comes to actually showing leadership and courage and grasping what’s going on right now, unfortunately it’s turned around and we’ve missed a huge opportunity to bring about the changes that are really needed.
“We have seen some changes at Greater Manchester Police. I think Stephen Watson is much better than the previous incumbent, Ian Hopkins, but Andy Burnham has failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation regarding the last part of this review.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will highlight Mr Burnham’s record on clearing out gangs in the Makerfield by-election.
Mr Farage told The Telegraph: “Burnham has failed to groom gang victims and will fail the people of Makerfield.
“It would be a disaster for the economy and would betray every Brexit voter in the constituency. Open Borders Burnham must be stopped.”
A Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) spokesman said: “In 2017 the Mayor commissioned a wide-ranging independent review into historic child sexual abuse in Greater Manchester.
“The first three parts of the review revealed systemic failures to protect children and our public services have had to radically reform to address these failings.
“Since 2021, Greater Manchester Police’s CSE Major Investigation Team has arrested more than 140 people, resulting in a number of convictions.
“Part Four, which examined current practice in the system, was undertaken by dedicated and experienced teams from HMICFRS and Ofsted, who gave it legal powers to access the information they needed to ensure a thorough and fearless investigation.
“Their report found clear evidence that Greater Manchester is responding to these historic failures and making real changes, but we are not complacent and continue to make improvements to our system.
“Nothing can make up for what happened to the victims of these crimes, but we are determined that they will be heard and protected and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”
