British MPs have voted against a Tory-led effort to initiate an inquiry into grooming gangs, rejecting the proposed amendment to the Children's Wellbeing Bill by 364 votes to 111.

Despite the efforts, if the measure had passed parliamentary procedure would not have compelled the government to open an inquiry. Instead, the amendment’s rejection preserved legislation aimed at reforming the children’s care system and improving educational standards in schools, Sky News reported.

The vote has been described as largely symbolic, intended to put pressure on Labour after recent controversy. The grooming gangs scandal involves decades of systemic child sexual exploitation, primarily by groups of predominantly Muslim men, who allegedly targeted and abused children.

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