The grooming gangs scandal is “not a polarised issue” in Britain, despite social media perceptions, according to a leading pollster.
James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, told GB News that contrary to online discussions suggesting division, there is broad agreement across demographic groups.
“If you went on Twitter or X or whatever, you’d think this was a polarised discussion,” Johnson said. “Actually, this is not a polarised issue in the country at all. This is something where pretty much everyone is aligned on it.”
A new poll conducted by Friderichs Advisory and JL Partners between January 10 and January 13 has revealed that 40 per cent of 2024 Labour voters strongly or tend to agree that the grooming gangs scandal came as the result of a cover-up.
James Johnson revealed the results of the latest poll on grooming gangs
PA / GB News
Only one in five Labour voters disagree with the suggestion of a cover-up, while 41 per cent neither agree nor disagree.
Speaking to GB News about the poll, Johnson highlighted that non-white voters are among the strongest advocates for tough action on the scandal.
“Actually, in the poll, the non-white voter split I mentioned, they’re actually some of the toughest on this issue in the public,” he told GB News.
The poll found that 30 per cent of the general public support the death penalty for those who have committed child rape as part of the scandal.
A poll conducted for GB News showed almost half of all respondents – 46 per cent – strongly or tend to agree that the scandal followed a cover-up
PA/Friderichs Advisory and JL Partners
The poll shows strong support for deportation of foreign national perpetrators, with 68 per cent of Labour voters backing such measures.
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Johnson pointed to a significant disconnect between Labour’s leadership and their voter base on this issue.
“There is a big divide between the Labour parliamentary position and the Labour leadership position, and where Labour voters are,” he told GB News.
He noted that Labour voters broadly align with Conservative and Reform voters on key aspects of the scandal.
“Labour voters are pretty much in line with Conservative voters, Reform voters, the rest of the public on this issue,” Johnson said.
Johnson told GB News that Labour voters are ‘not extreme on the issue at all’
GB News
Only 24 per cent of Labour voters agree with Sir Keir Starmer’s characterisation that those calling for a national inquiry are “jumping on a bandwagon”.
Support for the cover-up theory exceeds 50 per cent among both Conservative and Reform UK voters.
When asked about the causes, 42 per cent of respondents blame corruption, while 38 per cent point to political correctness.
Only one per cent of respondents believe public servants who covered up cases should face no punishment at all.
