Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove has confirmed that the British government attempted to suppress reporting on Pakistani-heritage grooming gangs in 2011. Gove, who led the Department for Education at the time, said Thursday on GB News that government officials sought to legally block The Times from publishing a pivotal report exposing the child exploitation scandal.
Gove backed claims made by former adviser Dominic Cummings, who earlier this week accused elements in Whitehall of trying to assist Rotherham Council in hiding the truth. Gove stated that the Council asked his department to join legal efforts to prevent publication. Instead, Gove said, “we will intervene in this case, but on behalf of The Times, because it is vital that the truth be told.”
The case relates to a 2011 article by journalist Andrew Norfolk, who broke the story after receiving extensive documentation from whistleblower Jayne Senior. The records showed police and council officials ignored reports of young white girls being raped and trafficked by Pakistani grooming gangs. Norfolk’s report marked the first time mainstream media brought national attention to what had long been dismissed by authorities and media as exaggerated or racist claims.
Gove said the prevailing policy at the Department for Education prior to his tenure involved redacting or censoring serious case reviews to prevent what officials described as “finger pointing.” He rejected this approach, advocating instead for transparency as the only path to accountability and reform.
With a national inquiry now in motion following the Casey review, Gove insisted that Whitehall must be investigated alongside local councils and police forces. Cummings echoed this sentiment, predicting a “total mess” for Whitehall as the extent of the attempted cover-up becomes clear.
