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Surprised this hasn't been mentioned in N&P yet.

An absolutely groundbreaking development with the PM suggesting 'political correctness' has stifled any necessary action being taken against 'Asian Grooming Gangs'. I'm sure there are many who are completely shocked to learn that the nonsensical, sensationalised, dogmatic ideologies of the left have had a massively detrimental affect on society. Who'd of thought it?

Whilst I have no problem at all with trying to do everything possible to eradicate this evil, and see the perpetrators behind bars, this feels like headline grabbing, rather than actual policy.

Unless the appropriate level of resource is committed, both police and social service, with training and co-ordination established, all of which takes time and money, unless other areas are going to be reduced, these types of comments have the potential to make things worse, not better.

Accusing Councils of failures when they have been starved of funding by a Tory government who have been in power for 13 years is just playing the blame game. The leadership on this, as on everything, needs to come centrally.

What does being "politically correct" actually mean? If anyone just applies dogma for its own sake then it deserves the utmost condemnation. If however local communities are being handled sensitively the better to gain their trust and avoid them feeling victimised and less willing to protect the criminals in their midst, then this isn't "political correctness". It's thoughtful tactics.

There are far too many who think this is just a simple matter of rounding up criminals and locking them up. I wish it was, but it isn't.

Whilst I have no problem at all with trying to do everything possible to eradicate this evil, and see the perpetrators behind bars, this feels like headline grabbing, rather than actual policy.

Unless the appropriate level of resource is committed, both police and social service, with training and co-ordination established, all of which takes time and money, unless other areas are going to be reduced, these types of comments have the potential to make things worse, not better.

Accusing Councils of failures when they have been starved of funding by a Tory government who have been in power for 13 years is just playing the blame game. The leadership on this, as on everything, needs to come centrally.

What does being "politically correct" actually mean? If anyone just applies dogma for its own sake then it deserves the utmost condemnation. If however local communities are being handled sensitively the better to gain their trust and avoid them feeling victimised and less willing to protect the criminals in their midst, then this isn't "political correctness". It's thoughtful tactics.

There are far too many who think this is just a simple matter of rounding up criminals and locking them up. I wish it was, but it isn't.

They introduced not reporting suspected abuse as a crime in Ireland some time ago. It puts a lot of pressure on people such as teachers and social workers but it does ensure a lot more is reported. I believe there have been maybe one or two prosecutions for not reporting.

The disgrace is all yours, for suggesting I am just making political points. I am doing no such thing.

I couldn't have been any clearer in my condemnation of the criminal activities of the gangs.

The enquiries into the way this has been handled have identified failings and elicited apologies, but I would bet those making them had other things to say in private. The police forces and authorities all responded in much the same way. That doesn't happen by chance or in a vacuum. There must have been a national strategy in place. It's the only logical conclusion. Who would be responsible for such a strategy?

That's not a political point! I would make exactly the same observation who-ever was in government. Indeed, maybe it was initially devised during the Blair years. What is certain is that the police and local authorities have both been squeezed in recent years, so whilst they may well have wanted to commit more resources, they simply didn't have them.

To truly solve this problem we need to be honest about it. Just blowing hot air at it (or me) might make you feel better, but it does nothing else. Obtaining admissible evidence, and not just hearsay, is the first priority and that's not as easy as some seem to think. Speeding up the Court system is the second. Some cases take more than 2 years to come to trial.

I doubt that. If the strategy was to adopt a long term softly, softly approach, to gain the trust and support of local communities so that the really evil ones could be rooted out, and the impressionable younger ones reeducated, I don't think public opinion would have supported it.

Political leaders have had the ability, and willingness, to define a woman. It's probably though not your definition. That's what leaders of opinion need to do and why our representatives need to be free to take decisions they consider in our ultimate interest, and not simply deliver what we want. Leaders need to lead. Not to follow.