𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A row has erupted at Wiltshire Council after Liberal Democrat councillors blocked an amendment calling for a national inquiry into rape gangs. The Lib Dems argued the phrase itself was politically loaded, and had it stripped from a motion on violence against women and girls.

Reform UK had backed the original Lib Dem motion, but tried to amend it to include a formal call on the Government to launch an inquiry into rape gangs. A cross-party group of councillors voted the amendment down on Tuesday.

Reform’s group leader on Wiltshire Council, Ed Rimmer, told the Daily Express that Lib Dems had informed him the term was “a political term used by your party to attack people”.

He said: “The Lib Dems didn’t just vote against an inquiry into rape gangs – they told me the phrase itself is ‘a political term used by your party to attack people’. Say that to a survivor’s face.”

Mr Rimmer added: “This is a party so terrified of the truth it won’t even say the words. Reform UK will keep saying them, loudly, until every victim gets the inquiry they deserve.”

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson defended the party’s stance, insisting it took the issue seriously.

They said: “Liberal Democrats are clear that all victims of violence against women and girls need to know that the Government has their back, will do everything in its power to tackle this epidemic and make good on its commitment to halving violence against women and girls in the next decade.”

The original motion, put forward by Wiltshire’s Liberal Democrats, recognised the “emergency” of all forms of violence against women and girls.

It passed without the rape gangs reference after Reform’s amendment was defeated.