You can almost smell the panic. Every Left-wing activist and pundit is frantically trying to defend Labour’s refusal to hold a full national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal.

MPs voted down the Tories' proposal to launch a fresh inquiry last night - but the issue is not likely to go away.

Lawmakers in Britain have voted down an amendment to set up a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. The amendment was attached to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would have been killed had the vote passed.

The Conservatives have tabled an amendment proposing an inquiry into grooming gangs, but if the vote passes new laws protecting children will be delayed.

Labour MPs rejected a Tory demand for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs. The House of Commons opposed a call, fronted by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, for a fresh probe into historical child sexual exploitation.