The grooming gangs issue was thrust into the spotlight at the start of this year, fuelled partly by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who criticised the prime minister for not calling a national inquiry.
A row between the two centred on high-profile cases where groups of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were convicted of sexually abusing and raping predominantly young white girls in towns such as Rotherham and Rochdale.
In January, the government stopped short of launching a statutory national inquiry into grooming gangs, despite the idea receiving support from some Labour MPs.
Instead, Cooper announced a “rapid” three-month audit, led by Baroness Casey, into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse.
Cooper said the review would include examining the demographics of the gangs and their victims, as well as “cultural drivers” behind the offending.
The home secretary also unveiled plans for five government-backed local inquiries – to be held in Oldham and four other areas yet to be named.
Baroness Casey’s review, which began in January, was due to take three months and had been delayed.
Earlier this month, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apologised for the delay, saying Baroness Casey had requested a “short extension” and that the report was expected “very shortly”.
The Conservatives have long been calling for a nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs, with the power to compel people to give evidence.
Reacting to Saturday’s announcement, the party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, said: “Keir Starmer doesn’t know what he thinks unless an official report has told him so.
“Just like he dismissed concerns about the winter fuel payment and then had to U-turn.
“I’ve been repeatedly calling for a full national inquiry since January.
“It’s about time he recognised he made a mistake and apologise for six wasted months.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the decision “a welcome U-turn”.
In a post on X, Farage wrote: “A full statutory enquiry, done correctly, will expose the multiple failings of the British establishment. I repeat the words ‘done correctly’ – this cannot be a whitewash.
“It’s time for victims to receive the justice they deserve and for perpetrators to face the full force of the law.”
Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said on X that “none of this” would have happened without Elon Musk, writing: “No inquiry, no justice, nothing.”
“He [Musk] deserves huge credit for that, external,” Lowe added.
Musk replied with a heart emoji.