Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and a prominent Labour Party figure, has been accused of covering up ongoing child sexual exploitation crimes committed by grooming gangs.
Former police detective Maggie Oliver, who became a whistleblower after witnessing what she described as politically motivated inaction by authorities, stated that Burnham “turned his back” on victims and failed to show sufficient courage in pursuing investigations into gangs composed predominantly of Pakistani Muslim men.
According to Oliver, Burnham publicly expressed determination to investigate the crimes of migrant grooming gangs, but his actions failed to match his rhetoric. She claims that once investigations began, he not only lost momentum but effectively obstructed efforts to uncover the full truth. Reviews conducted between 2019 and 2025 — the period during which Burnham has served as mayor — amounted to little more than a cover-up, she argues.
“They did not interview a single victim or survivor who had dealings with Greater Manchester Police over the past seven years,” Oliver stated.
“I came to the conclusion that while the PR machine was very effective at addressing issues already in the public domain, when it came to leadership, courage, and tackling the problems happening right now, he unfortunately turned away. We missed a huge opportunity to make the changes that were needed,” she added.
Two independent reviewers who had been involved in the review process resigned from their positions, according to the former detective.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also weighed in on the controversy, stating:
“Burnham has failed the victims of grooming gangs. Burnham’s open-borders approach must be stopped.”
The allegations emerged following the publication of the independent “Rape Gang Inquiry Report,” which has shocked Britain with its findings. The report claims that at least 250,000 young white girls became victims of systematic sexual abuse by gangs consisting predominantly of Pakistani Muslim men. According to the report, these gangs operated in at least 149 locations across the country, with abuses continuing for decades.
The report also references Burnham’s role in a critical light. On page 144, the authors highlight what they describe as the political responsibility of the Labour Party and Burnham in suppressing investigations into grooming gangs during local inquiries in Greater Manchester. According to the report, this was done partly to maintain electoral support among Muslim voting blocs. The authors argue that political considerations took precedence over the safety of vulnerable girls.
The report states:
“In Oldham, Labour councillors and officials received whistleblower reports from our social worker detailing child trafficking within council-run and semi-independent facilities. Rather than taking action, they retaliated against the whistleblower and failed to implement corrective measures. The same pattern occurred in Rotherham, Rochdale, Telford, Burnley and Peterborough. Labour-controlled councils abandoned communities, ignored parents’ warnings and allowed offenders to operate, partly because Muslim voting blocs were electorally important to them.”
The report further alleges:
“In Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Telford and dozens of other towns, Labour councils and police forces repeatedly shut down investigations, threatened whistleblowers with accusations of racism and instructed staff not to record offenders’ ethnicity. The 2014 Jay Report exposed how officials in Rotherham ignored the systematic abuse of 1,400 girls because they feared alienating the Pakistani community.”
The inquiry also criticizes child protection services, claiming that institutions responsible for safeguarding vulnerable children frequently failed them. In some cases, concerned parents were allegedly treated as troublemakers while victims were returned to environments where further abuse occurred.
The report cites one example:
“Edge of Care staff returned her to the very farm where she had been raped, destroying forensic evidence in the process. The service viewed her caring father as the problem and exposed the child to further exploitation in care facilities staffed entirely by Muslim men, where she faced racist abuse and extremist rhetoric.”
The authors argue that responsibility extends beyond local authorities and reaches the highest levels of government.
The report notes:
“In January 2025, Labour MPs voted against a Conservative amendment calling for a national statistical inquiry into grooming gangs. Sir Keir Starmer and members of his front bench abstained or opposed the measure, dismissing public concern as ‘far-right agitation.'”
The report accuses British institutions of either actively or passively enabling the crimes. According to its authors, fears of being labeled racist created a culture of silence that prevented authorities from acting decisively.
It also highlights the treatment of whistleblowers:
“Whistleblowers who attempted to tell the truth — including social workers, Kevin Vines, Tommy Robinson, and countless parents trying to protect their children — faced dismissal, financial ruin, property seizures, dawn raids, and legal gag orders.”
Reflecting on her experience, Maggie Oliver concluded:
“What I saw convinced me that while the public relations machine worked effectively on issues already in the spotlight, when it came to showing leadership and courage, he unfortunately turned away. We missed a huge opportunity to make the changes that were necessary.””
