85 authorities, countless victims, a disturbing pattern: Why UK struggles to act against 'Pakistani rape gangs'?

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A major inquiry led by British MP Rupert Lowe has claimed that Pakistani rape gangs have been operating across at least 85 local authorities in the UK, with some cases dating back to the 1960s. The inquiry, based on thousands of Freedom of Information requests and survivor testimonies, warns that the scandal is far more widespread than previously believed. Lowe criticised the government’s inaction, urged swift intervention, and called for deportations of foreign nationals complicit in child sexual exploitation.

Lowe, who chaired the Rape Gang Inquiry, announced that gang-based child sexual exploitation has been identified in at least 85 local authorities, reigniting concerns about grooming gangs.

In a post on X, Lowe wrote, “Our inquiry has shown that this rotting scandal is more widespread than thought – hundreds of thousands of lives have been ruined at the hands of predominantly Pakistani rape gangs.”

Our Rape Gang Inquiry has today released research detailing eighty-five local authorities in which the gang-based sexual exploitation of children is taking place, or has historically done so.

This is one of the most comprehensive exposes of the rape gang scandal to date. pic.twitter.com/lRRRaQeuFN

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) August 26, 2025

Findings and government response

The findings come just months after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that he would accept a recommendation for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. For years, campaigners had pressed for an official investigation into how authorities failed to protect vulnerable children.

Lowe criticised the government for inaction, saying, “It is over two months since Labour promised nationwide action, yet the government has been seemingly idle since. The new Prime Minister should not wait to act. There have been too many broken promises, too many missed opportunities and too many children failed over the years in power.”

He added that the inquiry gathered information through thousands of Freedom of Information requests as well as testimonies from survivors, families and whistleblowers.

Call for action in Parliament

Lowe confirmed that a full submission would be made in Parliament. “Ongoing cases have been referred to relevant authorities, and the Rape Gang Inquiry will shortly be making a submission before Parliament highlighting the current extent of the child sexual exploitation scandal,” he said.

He added that this would include “a recommended framework of oversight and support, with transparency and accountability safeguards to ensure government intervention is effective, and has a tangible impact on victims.”

I have never been more convinced that Pakistani rape gang activity must have been known across countless communities and towns. Well known.

It is simply impossible not to recognise the scale of the rapes.

If a foreign national knew and did nothing, they must be deported.…

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) August 26, 2025

Deportation debate

The lawmaker has also taken a strong stance on the deportation of foreign nationals involved in or complicit with the gangs. In one post, he said, “If a foreign national knew and did nothing, they must be deported. Complicit is the word. If a British national knew and did nothing, prosecute. From the evidence that we are seeing, it’s abundantly clear that huge numbers of people must have been aware but turned the other way.”

He went further, saying, “If a Pakistani woman stood by and allowed her husband to rape a vulnerable young white girl, then she should be forcibly removed from our country. And NEVER allowed back. Any foreigner involved must be deported.”

Lowe acknowledged that he faced criticism, including from Reform UK politician Nigel Farage, but insisted that public opinion supported his position. Citing a Restore Britain poll with Find Out Now, he said “78 per cent support deporting foreign rapists, with only 2.6 per cent opposed, while 71.5 per cent back stripping citizenship from dual nationals convicted of such crimes and deporting them to Pakistan.”

On Thursday he reiterated, “Restore Britain polling has shown that 71.5% of Brits support stripping dual British/Pakistani nationals convicted of child rape/exploitation of their British citizenship and deporting them to Pakistan. Only 6.1% disagree. Overwhelming support for deportations.”

The scandal of grooming gangs, often described as involving mostly Pakistani men targeting vulnerable white girls, came to national attention over a decade ago. It has returned to the political agenda in 2025 after public debate and high-profile interventions, including criticism from billionaire Elon Musk earlier this year.

In January this year, Musk accused Starmer of inaction during his time as DPP, suggesting that the CPS failed to adequately prosecute members of grooming gangs. Musk’s comments followed a post on X that linked Starmer’s tenure to alleged institutional neglect of the victims.

Notably, Starmer served as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and head of the CPS from 2008 to 2013, a period when awareness and prosecution of grooming gangs gained momentum.

Back then, Starmer introduced new prosecution guidelines emphasizing victim support and recognizing patterns of grooming. Under his leadership, several grooming gang prosecutions were pursued, including the Rochdale case, where nine men were convicted in 2012.

However, critics argue that these measures were not implemented quickly enough and that significant gaps in addressing abuse persisted during his tenure.

Modus operandi

The perpetrators from such gangs use tactics like offering gifts and attention to gain the trust of vulnerable girls, often those from troubled backgrounds. Once the girls are under their control, they use threats and violence to force them into sexual exploitation. The girls are then subjected to repeated sexual abuse, often being passed around by multiple members of the gang. The gangs often operate in secrecy, exploiting the vulnerabilities of their victims and intimidating them into silence.

While the ethnic background of perpetrators has been a focal point, experts caution against overgeneralizations, emphasizing the need to tackle abuse across all demographics.

Rotherham scandal

Professor Alexis Jay's 2014 investigation on the Rotherham crisis revealed that more than 1,400 children had been abused between 1997 and 2013. The investigation detailed the systematic inaction by law enforcement and local authorities in responding to abuse accusations, citing political correctness concerns and a fear of being classified as racist because of the ethnic background of the offenders. Later, similar trends were found in other locations.