Graeme’s Column

Politics is a dirty business. But there are some lines which should never be crossed.

Weaponising child abuse is one such line, and shamefully the Conservatives crossed it recently.

You may have seen posts doing the rounds on social media, claiming that MSPs, myself included, “voted against a grooming gangs inquiry”. Strong stuff. Shocking, if true.

The problem? It isn’t true. Not even close.

No such vote ever took place. There has never been a proposal for a grooming gangs inquiry in Scotland’s Parliament, far less a vote on one.

What actually happened was that the Tories tried to tack a half-baked amendment onto the Scottish Government’s recent Victims Bill. This amendment would have instructed a new Victims Commissioner – who is not yet in post – to carry out “research into child abuse”.

Here’s the thing: work is already well underway in that area, led by experts and backed by evidence.

When their proposal fell, the Tories rushed to spin that an “inquiry” had been blocked. That’s not just twisting the truth – it’s dragging politics into the gutter.

This matters, because the language of “grooming gangs” has become a political dog-whistle elsewhere in the UK. It stokes fear, plays to prejudice, and ignores the reality that child sexual abuse takes many forms – in families, in institutions, online. To pretend otherwise is not only dishonest, it is dangerous.

But the Scottish Government is already acting in this area.

The Victims Bill sets up a dedicated commissioner to champion victims’ rights – something the Tories opposed. Last year, ministers established a national expert group on child sexual abuse, led by Professor Alexis Jay – the same figure who exposed the truth in Rotherham. And while Police Scotland have confirmed there are no cases here like those seen in parts of England, they are still reviewing past and present investigations to make sure nothing is missed.

That’s meaningful action. 

Children’s safety is too important to become a political football. Every victim deserves protection, support and justice. What they don’t deserve is to be used in this way.

If the Conservative Party really cared about this, they’d put victims before smearing headlines. And if they really cared about the Scottish Parliament, they would not debase it in this way.

As you may have gathered, I am angry about it. In my 14 years as your MSP, this is about as outrageous an action as I have witnessed at Holyrood – especially given the topic.