To want Sadiq Khan to answer this question

Surely the important stuff is carrying out his mayoral duties and not becoming entrenched in what people (not meaning the OP) are clearly trying to make into a race issue. We all know there is a contigent who don't like that London has a Muslim Mayor who is non-white.

Did she contact Boris Johnson and ask him as former mayor whether he knew of grooming gangs in London and what steps he took?

What does she hope to gain from an answer? What do you hope to gain from an answer? I am not being goady - I am genuinely interested in what purpose the question and any answer given would serve.

Noone in their right mind supports or thinks it is an acceptable practice to groom and rape children or adults so I am genuinely trying to understand why the question needed to be asked and answered.

Khan is hopeless in every way. No point in even asking him anything. 🤷‍♀️😡

She clearly specifically meant "rape gangs" comprised predominantly comprised of Pakistani men, or "Muslim rape gangs" (as some call them) but wanted to imply it, not say it.

Honestly it struck me as a bit cowardly. She came across as not particularly interested in the harms that girls in London may be exposed to, and just wanted to know if the perpetrators were (to use her indirect phrasing) of the "the same sorts" as in Rotherham, etc. but was only prepared to imply it, not say it.

Which makes me think this was more playing-politics than sincere concerns.

Yes I do give a stuff.

But I also don't think that Sadiq Khan doesn't give a stuff. I think he shouldn't be forced into answering someone badgering him "for the show of (insert empathy, publicity or other words). It doesn't help deal with them and indeed what right minded person has any sympathy or understanding for these gangs. It serves literally no purpose.

The social workers were also not the only professionals involved and subject to criticism and neither were they all black (which in itself is not evidence racism was not in play of course). You don’t see to have dealt with that part. I also do not agree that Black British social workers might not be concerned about calling out practices that they seemed to assume were normal amongst African people in case this was seen as prejudiced or racist. Neither did Laming. He specifically criticised the suggestion made by those professionals that standing to attention to salute one’s guardian and wetting oneself in fear was part of the African Caribbean script.

Not sure how this is not part of the exact same lazy thinking which was in play at Rotheram or has people wringing their hands over racist dog whistles which seem to justify an elected official pretending he doesn’t know what grooming gangs are or sneering at people trying to raise this issue.

The social workers were also not the only professionals involved and subject to criticism and neither were they all black (which in itself is not evidence racism was not in play of course). You don’t see to have dealt with that part. I also do not agree that Black British social workers might not be concerned about calling out practices that they seemed to assume were normal amongst African people in case this was seen as prejudiced or racist. Neither did Laming. He specifically criticised the suggestion made by those professionals that standing to attention to salute one’s guardian and wetting oneself in fear was part of the African Caribbean script.

Not sure how this is not part of the exact same lazy thinking which was in play at Rotheram or has people wringing their hands over racist dog whistles which seem to justify an elected official pretending he doesn’t know what grooming gangs are or sneering at people trying to raise this issue.

I have no idea what you're talking about. The report said that racism played a part in Victoria's death. He was specifically talking about the fact that so many agencies were aware of her case but didn't act.

He also talked about her being from a different culture and how that was interpreted. He did not say that people didn't act because they feared being called racist.

The social workers were also not the only professionals involved and subject to criticism and neither were they all black (which in itself is not evidence racism was not in play of course). You don’t see to have dealt with that part. I also do not agree that Black British social workers might not be concerned about calling out practices that they seemed to assume were normal amongst African people in case this was seen as prejudiced or racist. Neither did Laming. He specifically criticised the suggestion made by those professionals that standing to attention to salute one’s guardian and wetting oneself in fear was part of the African Caribbean script.

Not sure how this is not part of the exact same lazy thinking which was in play at Rotheram or has people wringing their hands over racist dog whistles which seem to justify an elected official pretending he doesn’t know what grooming gangs are or sneering at people trying to raise this issue.

The social workers were also not the only professionals involved and subject to criticism and neither were they all black (which in itself is not evidence racism was not in play of course). You don’t see to have dealt with that part. I also do not agree that Black British social workers might not be concerned about calling out practices that they seemed to assume were normal amongst African people in case this was seen as prejudiced or racist. Neither did Laming. He specifically criticised the suggestion made by those professionals that standing to attention to salute one’s guardian and wetting oneself in fear was part of the African Caribbean script.

Not sure how this is not part of the exact same lazy thinking which was in play at Rotheram or has people wringing their hands over racist dog whistles which seem to justify an elected official pretending he doesn’t know what grooming gangs are or sneering at people trying to raise this issue.

we can assume she was asking about Asian grooming gangs in London

Well you might as you have a clear political loyalty.

But that's just more of the same twisting, obfuscating and dodging that has led to where we are now.

Well unless Susan Hall is completely thick, we can assume she was asking about Asian grooming gangs in London. If that assumption is incorrect and she was genuinely whether there are any type of grooming gangs in London, then she is a dingbat and if she doesn’t know that, she probably shouldn’t be listened to at all.

Tbf though, I wish Sadiq had just answered the question and shown everyone how stupid this woman clearly is!

You said:

professionals being so worried about being racist that they dismissed or ignored the fairly obvious signs that Victoria Climbie was being abused.

The social workers who assumed her behaviour was due to culture were not concerned about being seen as racist. You're not the only person who's read the report.

Err, exactly. That is the point! They ignored that behaviour which in the context of her presentation was a clear sign of abuse BECAUSE her guardians were African. In other words, as Laming concludes in the report (which I have read in full, not just Press reporting/summaries) because they saw things through the lens of race, they ignored or minimised the signs of abuse. In addition there were a multitude of other professionals involved- including doctors and nurses- not all of whom were black- who also did not report signs of abuse. Lord Laming’s conclusions are clear that blindness due to race and culture contributed to her death.

Did you listen to the question. The word Asian was not used

I completely agree.
The problem with looking at this issue from the lens of of “Asian grooming gangs” only is that it takes away from the actual issue which is child criminal and sexual abuse, and focus’s on the ethnicity of perpetrators. It’s a goal for those with ulterior motives and does nothing to help the victims.

The fact is, Asian grooming gangs are a tiny majority of the perpetrators of such crimes. The issues in this particular area of course need to be addressed however the actual issue is that it is too easy in this country to abuse the young girls no one cares about. Children are being abused every day by all types of people and not enough is done to address that. Only a few end up going to jail and generally, these young children are treated awfully by those who should protect them. If people shouting about these grooming gangs really cared, they would address the issue of child sexual abuse. They would do more to protect children and hold perpetrators accountable. All perpetrators, not just the Asian ones.

Addressing these types of grooming gangs is almost a sub section of the wider issue. If children were being better protected in the first place NO ONE would have this opportunity to abuse so freely in the first place.

Of course. Anything bar actually answer a question eg Khan

The responses on this thread to the op show why we are where we are

@Babadookinthewardrobe "Susan Hall, Susan Hall, Susan Hall. Is that all you care about?"

No. I care about this whole awful situation being dealt with openly and properly and not being hijacked by the Right to push a racist narrative. You?

Susan Hall, Susan Hall, Susan Hall. Is that all you care about?