A Tory bid to launch a new national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal has been voted down by MPs.

MPs rejected the amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing Bill by 364 to 111.

However, even had the Commons supported the measure, it wouldn’t have actually forced the government to open the desired inquiry, due to parliamentary procedure.

Instead, it would have killed the government’s legislation, the aim of which is to reform things like the children’s care system and raise educational standards in schools.

Follow politics latest: Reaction to vote

Tonight’s vote was largely symbolic – aimed at putting pressure on Labour following days of headlines after comments by Elon Musk brought grooming gangs back into the spotlight.

The world’s richest man has hit out at Sir Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, after she rejected a new national inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, saying this should be done at a local level instead.

The Tories also previously said an Oldham inquiry should be done locally and in 2015 commissioned a seven-year national inquiry into child sex abuse which looked at grooming gangs.

However, they didn’t implement any of its recommendations while in office – and Sir Keir has vowed to do so instead of launching a fresh investigation into the subject.

Jess Phillips exclusive:
Victims can have inquiry if they want one

As well as the 2015 national inquiry, by Prof Alexis Jay, a number of local inquiries were also carried out, including in Telford and Rotherham.

Ahead of the vote, Sir Keir Starmer accused Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch of “jumping on the bandwagon” after Mr Musk’s intervention and spreading “lies and misinformation”.

Referring to her time in government as children’s and equalities minister, the prime minister said: “I can’t recall her once raising this issue in the House, once calling for a national inquiry.”

He also said having spoken to victims of grooming gangs this morning, “they were clear they want action now, not the delay of a further inquiry”.

Ms Badenoch has argued that the public will start to “worry about a cover-up” if the prime minister resists calls for a national inquiry, and said no one has yet “joined up the dots” on grooming.

Girls as young as 11 were groomed and raped across a number of towns in England – including Oldham, Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford – over a decade ago in a national scandal that was exposed in 2013.