The government has announced that it will adopt a “flexible approach” to its plans for five local grooming gang inquiries, prompting accusations from Conservatives that Labour is watering down its response to child sexual exploitation. The Home Office minister Jess Phillips confirmed in the Commons that the government would allow local councils to choose how to use a £5 million national fund. The fund was announced in January by Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, with the aim of supporting up to five initial local inquiries based on the judge-led one into grooming gangs in Telford. In an announcement on Tuesday just 45 minutes before parliament broke for recess, Philips said that “following feedback”, the government would adopt a “flexible approach” to its plans for local
