Starmer and his government had previously argued the inquiry was unnecessary as there had already been a number of other investigations into individual cases.
After receiving the results of the audit led by Louise Casey, a member of the House of Lords, Starmer said he would change course.
“She has looked at the material she has looked at and she has come to the view that there should be a national inquiry on the basis of what she has seen,” Starmer said. “I have read every single word of her report and I am going to accept her recommendation.”
The prime minister was rushed into making the announcement after The Times reported Saturday morning that Casey’s report would call for a full public inquiry.
There have been dozens of examples of underage working-class girls being exploited by grooming gangs in U.K. towns over the past 15 years. Most of the high-profile cases, like in Rotherham and Rochdale, involved young Pakistani-origin men.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch hit out Starmer for not launching a large-scale investigation sooner and called for the full inquiry to move quickly.
“Many survivors of the grooming gangs will be relieved that this is finally happening, but they need a resolution soon, not in several years’ time,” she said Saturday. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
UK Reform Leader Nigel Farage called Starmer’s decision a “welcome U-turn.”
“A full statutory enquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. I repeat done correctly, not a whitewash,” he said. “It’s time for victims to receive the justice they deserve and for perpetrators to face the full force of the law.