Today, I can announce we have secured a full independent grooming gangs inquiry across Keighley and the wider Bradford district. This is a watershed moment and marks a significant turning point in the pursuit of justice, truth and accountability for victims and survivors right across our area. It comes almost two decades after Anne Cryer first had the courage to raise this issue in Parliament. The inquiry will be fully independent of Bradford Council. It will focus on examining failures in local and national safeguarding systems, evidence handling, institutional accountability, and investigate the role of ethnicity, race and culture, and allegations of systematic abuse covered up by authorities. It will have statutory powers to compel witnesses and evidence. And where there is evidence of wrongdoing or cover-ups, it will be able to refer matters to the police. No one will be able to hide. When I first got elected, six and a half years ago, some of the first meetings I had were with local survivors like Fiona Goddard. Listening to their accounts of this crime, I was confronted with horrors that I will never forget. I made a promise to them then that I would do everything in my power to ensure their voices were heard and the truth would come out. Since then, I have consistently campaigned for this inquiry. I want to pay tribute to Fiona Goddard and the many others from across Keighley whom I have met - without them, none of this would be possible. Fiona is one of the bravest individuals I have ever met. Her extraordinary courage in speaking out and becoming a leading voice for survivors nationally should be an inspiration to us all - both locally in Keighley and across the UK. Now, after tireless campaigning and lobbying, their voices are finally being heard. I also want to recognise the work of leading child abuse lawyer David Greenwood, who has helped bring vital cases and evidence forward. He has been crucial to this campaign. Working with him, it has been clear for all to see that the scale of this issue across the Bradford District will dwarf that of the likes of Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford. At times, our calls for a full inquiry were dismissed, or rejected altogether. Yet despite this we refused to give up. For many years, political leaders from across our region, including the previous Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe, the Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin and Deputy Mayor for Policing, Alison Lowe repeatedly rejected our calls for an inquiry. It was my firm view that these refusals mirrored the same patterns of denial seen in towns like Rotherham and Telford. There, decades of abuse were hidden in plain sight until independent inquires finally forced the truth into the open. It was deeply frustrating, but nevertheless welcome that it was only once a national inquiry was recommended by Baroness Casey in June 2025, supported by the Home Secretary, that these same local leaders changed their position, and supported our calls. Whilst no inquiry can undo the pain and suffering they have endured, it can help ensure the truth is uncovered and that those who were failed finally receive the answers they have spent years fighting for. And finally. One of the most difficult lessons of this entire process is that survivors have had to become campaigners themselves just to be heard. That should never have been necessary. It speaks to a deep and painful failure in Britain right now, and of the institutions at every level of the British state. Now we owe it to survivors, and to thousands across our area who suffered in silence, to see this through together. This inquiry must seek the truth - however horrific it may be. And bring about justice to those who have been failed for far too long. I will not stop until we achieve this. Robbie

Our farmers can’t afford another day of this Labour government. They are taxing our farmers, taxing our fertiliser, and turned the Sustainable Farming Incentive into a complete debacle. The Prime Minister must change course and axe the Family Farm and Family Business Tax at the Budget. 🎥 FULL WATCH👇

Labour’s handling of the Sustainable Farming Incentive has been a complete and utter mess - and now they can’t even answer basic questions. They closed the scheme without warning in March 25 and then proceeded to slash the budget. The result - demand naturally built up - so much so, that when the scheme finally reopened, it couldn’t support the high number of applications. Through their choices, Labour made the Sustainable Farming Incentive a first come, first served scheme, based on who could hit ‘apply’ the quickest. This has been a disaster for our farmers and for nature. This debacle cannot continue.

🍰☕️🛍️ Our local hospitality and high street businesses are taking a battering as a result of this Labour government’s choices. And in Ilkley, they are being further negatively impacted by the ongoing parking charges, and constant roadworks on the A65, all signed off by Bradford Council. That was the clear feedback following a roundtable meeting I held with Ilkley based businesses at the Clarke Foley Community Hub in conjunction with Ilkley BID this week - in advance of the forthcoming Budget on the 28th October. Labour’s increase in Employers National Insurance, minimum wage, and the reduction in Business Rate Relief is having huge negative impacts. And Labour’s Employment Rights Act has made employers much more reluctant to take on part time or full time staff, removing job opportunities for our young people - many of whom work within our local hospitality sector. The recent refusal of the Prime Minister and Chancellor to rule out further tax rises in the forthcoming budget is creating anxiety. And locally, Bradford Councils increase in parking charges and their extension to parking charges on street - is meaning less customers. Things must change. We are lucky to have so many amazing pubs, cafes, coffee shops, restaurants, eating places and of course local shops across our area which play a massive role in bringing people together and supporting the local economy - but they are saying, enough is enough. No more tax or restrictions - or they simply will not survive. Great to meet up and speak with many of our great hospitality businesses in Ilkley to discuss their ongoing challenges. Huge thanks to Sarah from the Ilkley Business Improvement District for helping organise the meeting. I will take our message to Westminster and make it loud and clear. We need a complete change in direction ahead of the next Budget to stop even more businesses being pushed to the brink. I will be holding further discussions with businesses in the run up to the Budget. In the meantime, please do continue to support our mighty local independent businesses by shopping local.

Burnham is all over the place. He hasn’t got to grips with the detail and is now rushing into closer ties with the EU without understanding the implications for our farming sector. He is miss quoting the NFU from the dispatch box and is now asking me to send him CropLife UK’s economic impact assessment which was sent to DEFRA 10 months ago. I am deeply worried for our farmers under his watch.

Fantastic to spend time out and about up on our West Yorkshire moorland with members of the Upland Alliance - a brilliant group of key organisations, stakeholders and individuals all involved in upland land management. The session was kindly organised by the National Sheep Association, and was attended by West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service in which we discussed wildfire resilience, farming and nature recovery. It was an excellent session. We visited contrasting areas of common land, looking at the differences between land management practices, including stocking densities. It is clear that farming, nature conservation and enhancements to wildfire resistance in our uplands can go hand in hand. Our land managers need all tools available to them, including the ability to carry out controlled cool burning of Heather on moorland where mechanical control simply can’t be used. The government’s decision to ban this was a ridiculous decision, not based on science or common sense.

Only 6 years after Baby Star Hobson was murdered in Keighley, Frankie Smith has been released early from prison. I am furious at this Labour government.

Conviction, courage and determination. Kemi is a true patriot and I am incredibly proud to stand with her. We are ready to fight for our values. Ready to win the argument. Ready to get Britain working again.

It was an absolute pleasure to speak with and take questions from the ‘Gather Together Group’ of Ladies from Christchurch in Ilkley. Thank you all for such a warm welcome, with brilliant conversation focusing on many local and national issues, including what I am focusing on as your Member of Parliament. It was also incredibly special to attend a service this week welcoming their new minister, Revd Simon Helme, to the parish. There was such a wonderful buzz of celebration and hope in the air as everyone came together to induct Simon into his new role. He and his wife Debbie are ver welcome, and it is clear the church family is in wonderful hands for this next chapter!