Westminster Life: Prioritising children’s welfare

It’ll be a little stronger than usual because of how strongly I feel about this.

Protecting vulnerable children is at the heart of our Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which I proudly voted for in Parliament on 9th January. This legislation represents the most significant step forward in child safeguarding in a generation, encompassing crucial measures such as free school breakfast clubs, a compulsory Children Not in School register (to help councils understand the picture of children outside the school system, aiding safeguarding efforts) as well as limits on school uniform costs, and caps on profits made by children’s social care providers.

Very little of this good news has made national headlines. Instead, there has been political game-playing on a monumental scale by the Conservatives and Reform UK, who both placed amendments that would have killed our bill.

Through some wording tricks in these amendments, they’ve been able to portray them as a vote on a national inquiry into grooming gangs. It’s important to clarify the reality of these amendments and their implications. If passed, these amendments would have prevented the bill from progressing entirely - halting vital safeguarding measures intended to protect children from harm.

There have already been ten inquiries into grooming gangs, both national and local, including the comprehensive seven-year investigation led by Professor Alexis Jay, which concluded in 2022 with 20 recommendations. Despite the seriousness of the issue, the Conservative Government didn’t implement a

single recommendation from that inquiry. A further inquiry would only serve to delay necessary actions, leaving vulnerable children unprotected. I find it incredible that after their failure, the Conservatives have decided to try and score political points out of something so serious.

Kemi Badenoch - during her tenure as both Children’s Minister and Women and Equalities Minister - never raised the issue in Parliament, not even once. Now, the Conservatives seek to block legislation that offers concrete protections for at-risk children.

I am confident that this Labour Government will take decisive action against grooming gangs. Our Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has a proven track record from his time as Director of Public Prosecutions - where his rule changes enabled more prosecutions, resulting in a significant increase in convictions.

Andrew Norfolk, the journalist who uncovered the Rotherham scandal, has acknowledged this, reinforcing the importance of Labour’s commitment to tackling such heinous crimes.

More broadly, Labour is committed to halving violence against women and girls by the end of this Parliament, addressing the root causes of abuse, and targeting perpetrators. The Children’s and Wellbeing Bill is a vital step towards achieving these goals, ensuring that every child is safeguarded and supported.

Nobody should be playing games with children’s safeguarding. Blocking this bill would have been a disservice to the very individuals it aims to protect, and I am proud to stand in support of it.