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Andy Burnham “turned away” from grooming gang victims after failing to show enough leadership, the whistleblower who exposed the Rochdale scandal has warned. The Mayor of Greater Manchester “did not grasp the nettle” and thoroughly investigate rape gangs in Oldham, Maggie Oliver said.

Ms Oliver said the probes should have exposed more cover-ups. Mr Burnham set up reviews of allegations of cover-ups of historical child sexual abuse and exploitation in Manchester and Rochdale as soon as he became mayor in 2017.

They revealed evidence of institutional failings and evidence of cover ups.

But Ms Oliver said the probes could have gone further and exposed cover-ups.

She told Times Radio: “I have worked with him quite closely on the independent reviews he put together looking at child sexual exploitation, grooming gangs in Manchester.

“The Oldham review was squeezed and in my opinion, based on all my experience, that was nothing less than a cover-up.

“I wonder, I’ve repeatedly asked myself why is that? I think that looking at Augusta and Rochdale, he knew that the truth was already out there.

“Now that was meant to look at what had happened since 2019 up until 2025. What happened in that, in my opinion, in my experience, was actually a cover-up and it was a paper exercise and what it led to was the resignation of the two independent reviewers who had spent six years scrutinising Greater Manchester Police.

“Instead, HMIC came in and they did not speak to a single victim or a single survivor who had been caught in the last seven years of working with GMP.

“So what I have come to see and believe is that whilst the PR machine wheeled out very well about what was already in the public arena, when it came to really showing leadership and courage and gripping what is going on now, unfortunately he turned away and we missed a huge opportunity to really bring changes that are needed.

“We have seen some change in Greater Manchester Police. I do think Stephen Watson is far better than the previous incumbent, Ian Hopkins, but Andy Burnham did not grasp the nettle in relation to the final part of that review.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage will highlight Mr Burnham’s record on grooming gangs in the Makerfield by-election.

Mr Farage told The Telegraph: “Burnham failed the grooming gang victims and he will fail the people of Makerfield too.

“He would be a disaster for the economy and betray every Brexit voter in the constituency. Open Borders Burnham must be stopped.”

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) said: “In 2017, the Mayor commissioned a wide-ranging independent review into historic child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester.