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AIBU?

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Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 16:47

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 10:07

Basically, he wasn't prepared to endorse a racist trope. "Grooming gangs" has become a racist dog whistle.

Everyone, including Khan and Hall knows there is child exploitation everywhere.

“He wasn’t prepared to endorse a racist trope”?

  1. Why do you think it is racist to ask if there are grooming gangs operating in London?
  2. Do you agree that fears about being thought “racist” had a detrimental impact in the way the perpetrators of sexual abuse were dealt with in Rotherham etc ?
  3. Do you realise that “child exploitation” is a very euphemistic way of describing the ongoing rape, torture and abuse of children as young as 9?
OP posts:
dottiehens · 23/01/2025 11:00

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

bleakjanuary · 23/01/2025 10:44

Letsbe · 23/01/2025 10:19

A better question might be what can be done about them?

Unless you acknowledge a problem in the first place, nothing will be done about them

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 10:39

Anybody who thinks Hall is asking this question simply to gain information knows nothing about her record.

Letsbe · 23/01/2025 10:19

A better question might be what can be done about them?

SlapTheMelon · 23/01/2025 10:15

Who are the 20% voting YABU? if you're one, why?

Whammyyammy · 23/01/2025 10:14

Yes of course there is.
No, nothing will be done.

EasternStandard · 23/01/2025 10:14

OpheliaWasntMad · 22/01/2025 19:06

I’m shocked at the way he dealt with this very important question. I think he should apologise for the disrespectful and dismissive way he spoke to Susan Hall . But more importantly he should answer the question.

Yep

justasking111 · 23/01/2025 10:11

It's everywhere, don't know why he's being so coy, unless he really doesn't know.

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 10:07

Basically, he wasn't prepared to endorse a racist trope. "Grooming gangs" has become a racist dog whistle.

Everyone, including Khan and Hall knows there is child exploitation everywhere.

NautilusLionfish · 23/01/2025 09:09

LessonsinChemistryandLove · 23/01/2025 09:07

Children are being exploited, sexually and criminally, all over the country by all sorts of people. Why would anyone think it’s not happening in London?

Exactly this

NewdayNewstartin2025 · 23/01/2025 09:09

Hopefully they are being investigated.

NewdayNewstartin2025 · 23/01/2025 09:08

Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has been accused of “stonewalling” questions about whether London has a problem with so-called “grooming gangs”.

His Tory rival Susan Hall made nine successive attempts at Mayor’s Question Time to ask Sir Sadiq whether there were gangs operating, or previously active, in the capital.

But Sir Sadiq repeatedly asked Ms Hall, the former Tory mayoral candidate, to clarify what she meant by grooming gangs, claiming: “I’m not clear what she means.

He said young people were being “groomed” in London by County Lines drugs gangs.

Ms Hall made clear she was referring to “rape gangs” that prey on girls and young women for sex, and mentioned cases in Rotherham and Bradford.

It's a clear and specific question. She wasn't asking about drug gangs. Why didn't he answer?

London - latest news, breaking stories and comment - The Standard

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https://www.standard.co.uk/topic/london

LessonsinChemistryandLove · 23/01/2025 09:07

Children are being exploited, sexually and criminally, all over the country by all sorts of people. Why would anyone think it’s not happening in London?

NewdayNewstartin2025 · 23/01/2025 09:06

SleepDeprivedElf · 23/01/2025 08:54

Another thread on exactly the same topic? In his answer he is clear there is child sexual exploitation.

What other thread? About SK failure to answer a question he was asked 9 times?

DancefloorAcrobatics · 23/01/2025 08:56

The not answering = yes there are, nope we are unable to do anything about them.

SleepDeprivedElf · 23/01/2025 08:54

Another thread on exactly the same topic? In his answer he is clear there is child sexual exploitation.

NewdayNewstartin2025 · 23/01/2025 08:51

Why not answer this question?

Are there grooming gangs or not? If there are, are they being fully investigated? Are facts being shared.

Most importantly are children being protected?

Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 22/01/2025 19:06

I’m shocked at the way he dealt with this very important question. I think he should apologise for the disrespectful and dismissive way he spoke to Susan Hall . But more importantly he should answer the question.

OP posts: