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Sadiq Khan branded reports of London grooming gangs “false, malicious and politically motivated” before a major U-turn, Express Investigations Editor Zak Garner-Purkis has revealed. Mr Garner-Purkis has in recent months exposed a dramatic shift in the Mayor of London’s position on group-based child sexual exploitation. What began as outright denial has given way to the National Grooming Gangs Inquiry, naming London as a primary focus area, with the Met Police referring 4,000 “no further action” cases to a National Crime Agency task force.

In a candid interview on the Daily Expresso podcast, host JJ Anisiobi said: “Tell me about Sadiq Khan’s team because I gather they were telling some pretty terrible, nasty, besmirching lies about you.”

In response, Mr Garner-Purkis detailed the initial stonewalling, explaining: “When we went to Sadiq Khan in September last year and asked him about London grooming gangs, he described the whole topic as false, malicious and politically motivated.

“So he wasn’t just saying ‘you guys are lying’. He was also saying… it’s effectively like a malicious lie, like a lie that’s meant to stir things up.

“Fast forward to this summer and we’ve got the government looking at London [grooming gangs]. The one thing that we’ve just got to really hope is that they actually scrutinise this denial that went on before and how on earth they were able to do that.”

The controversy appears to echo scandals in Rotherham and Rochdale, where authorities were accused of ignoring patterns of organised abuse involving groups of men, often of Pakistani heritage, targeting vulnerable girls.

Mr Khan and senior Met officers had long resisted the “grooming gangs” label, insisting London’s exploitation cases differed in nature and lacked the structured ethnic dimension seen elsewhere. At Mayor’s Question Time, Conservative Assembly member Susan Hall has faced repeated pushback when raising the issue.

Pressure mounted through Express reporting, whistleblower accounts and public records. A Sunday Telegraph investigation revealed the scale of the Met referrals, prompting further scrutiny. Mr Garner-Purkis noted the sudden pivot: from claims of “no reported cases” to Mr Khan directing police to “leave no stone unturned.”

Critics argue the initial response amounted to gaslighting survivors.

Mr Garner-Purkis said: “He needs to apologise to the survivors. He was telling them that they didn’t exist… You don’t treat people who have been through that with that kind of contempt.”

Questions remain over the 4,000 cases. Insiders suggested a broader definition was used, raising concerns of “flooding the zone” to dilute focus. Mr Garner-Purkis questioned why cases not fitting the grooming gang profile were referred, and why an earlier inquiry presentation in Tower Hamlets used a narrower organised crime definition that produced zero results.

The National Inquiry’s inclusion of London marks a significant policy shift. Mr Garner-Purkis, who gave evidence to the London Assembly, highlighted weak scrutiny mechanisms in City Hall. He described one assembly member’s apparent disinterest during proceedings as “appalling” given the subject matter.

The story also touches on former Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s time at the Crown Prosecution Service. Mr Garner-Purkis claimed Mr Starmer’s office aggressively challenged Express reporting on “paedophile ASBOs” and grooming gang handling – though we stood by our journalism.

Mr Garner-Purkis warned of broader efforts to sideline independent outlets in favour of mainstream broadcasters. He urged public support for rigorous investigations, stating: “If you’ve done something wrong… we’re going to expose you.”

London’s grooming gangs debate has become a major test of institutional accountability. From initial denials to the launch of a formal review, the episode has fuelled accusations of political expediency over victim protection. Survivors and campaigners, including figures like Maggie Oliver, have seen similar patterns of denial followed by reluctant acknowledgement elsewhere.

Express.co.uk has contacted the Statutory Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs for an update into the progress of the investigation.