London’s political and policing leaders have come under intense scrutiny as a major review into historic child sexual exploitation cases unfolds across the city. At the center of the debate: whether so-called grooming gangs are a significant issue in the capital, and how authorities have responded to victims’ concerns. The controversy reached a boiling point during a heated London Assembly session on November 14, 2025, when Conservative member Susan Hall accused Mayor Sadiq Khan of minimizing the problem and failing those most affected.
Hall’s criticism was pointed and personal. She alleged that Khan had previously dismissed concerns about grooming gangs, referencing a January exchange where, according to Hall, the mayor feigned ignorance about the term. "You dismissed my question by pretending you didn't know what I meant, 'What does she mean, Chair? What is she talking about'?" Hall said, echoing the frustrations of victims who, in her words, "knew exactly what I was talking about, and so did most other people." She called on Khan to apologize to rape survivors who felt ignored by both the police and the city’s leadership.
Khan, for his part, defended his record robustly. He clarified his previous remarks, insisting that while London does face issues with child sexual exploitation and abuse, the cases differ from the high-profile grooming gang scandals seen in other regions of England. In June 2025, Khan had told the Assembly there was "no indication of grooming gangs" operating in the capital, though he acknowledged the existence of broader exploitation and abuse issues. "I've led efforts to strengthen the protection of children and those exploited by abuse and exploitation," Khan asserted. He pointed to his appointment of London’s first independent commissioner for victims and cited record investments in tackling violence against women and girls. "It's because of my experience as a member of Parliament and as a lawyer that I've invested so much in supporting victims. It's the victims and survivors, where my priority has been," he told the Assembly, as reported by the Evening Standard.
Despite these assurances, Hall pressed on, arguing that the mayor’s reluctance to acknowledge the specific issue of grooming gangs left victims feeling marginalized. "You pretended you didn't know what it was. The rape victims have phoned me, they are devastated that they have been ignored, many of them, by the police for years, but to have the mayor of London really take the mickey out of them by saying 'I don't know what you mean', 'What is she talking about?' You knew damn well what I was talking about," she said, as quoted by GB News.
At the heart of the current debate is a sweeping review by the Metropolitan Police into historic cases of child sexual exploitation. According to Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, an initial data search identified around 9,000 cases from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2025 that might fall under the national criteria for group-based sexual offending. This review is part of a national inquiry into grooming gangs announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in June 2025.
But the numbers, and what they actually represent, have been a source of confusion and contention. Sir Mark Rowley explained to the Assembly that the 9,000 figure has been widely misinterpreted as representing 9,000 grooming gang cases. In reality, the national definition is much broader, encompassing any group-based sexual offending with two or more suspects and at least one victim. This includes intra-familial abuse, institutional abuse, peer-on-peer cases, and online exploitation—not just the organized gangs that have dominated headlines in other parts of the country.
After reviewing 2,200 of those cases, only about 1,200 remained in scope, and Rowley expects the number to continue falling as the review progresses. Ultimately, the Met anticipates that "maybe 2,000 or 3,000 cases" will be considered for possible reinvestigation, but even this pool covers a wide variety of offenses. "We do not see the typology reported elsewhere where there have been cases of offending committed by groups of Pakistani men on white British children being the sole or majority case," Rowley clarified, according to the BBC. He emphasized the diversity of suspects and the importance of avoiding simplistic narratives: "It is important for us to use precise language and consider its impact on victims and public understanding. There is too much ready reach to simplistic analysis which risks misleading communities."
Rowley also highlighted the scale and complexity of the Met’s current workload. The force records around 2,000 sexual offences a month, about half of which involve child sexual abuse. Balancing the investigation of current cases with the reinvestigation of historic ones will require at least 60 to 80 specialist officers and additional funding. "We are determined that, with others, the Met will safeguard victims wherever possible and bring those responsible to justice," Rowley stated, as reported by the Evening Standard.
The debate over terminology and focus reflects a broader national reckoning with how authorities have handled child sexual exploitation. In some cities, failures to recognize and confront grooming gangs—often due to concerns about community relations or the ethnicity of perpetrators—have led to high-profile scandals and public inquiries. In London, the picture is more complex. While some cases do fit the group-based offending model, many others do not, and the sheer diversity of the city means patterns seen elsewhere may not apply in the same way.
Still, the sense among some campaigners and victims is that leadership matters—and that language and public acknowledgment can be as important as policy. Hall’s demand for an apology from Khan was not just about semantics, but about recognition and respect for those who feel their suffering has been overlooked. The mayor’s supporters, meanwhile, point to concrete actions: increased funding, stronger child protection measures, and the appointment of independent oversight.
As the review continues, thousands of historic cases are expected to come under scrutiny, with some already referred to Operation Beaconport—an initiative focused on complex cases involving multiple suspects and victims. The process is likely to take several years, and the outcomes could shape both public confidence and the city’s approach to safeguarding vulnerable young people for a long time to come.
For now, the debate in London reflects the challenges of balancing transparency, sensitivity, and effective action in the face of a deeply troubling issue. As the inquiry progresses and more facts come to light, the hope among many is that the lessons learned will translate into real change for victims—past, present, and future.
