The testimony of an Epstein survivor before the United States Congress has reignited calls from British MPs and campaigners for a UK-led international inquiry into historic child sexual abuse. The survivor, who spoke under oath about systemic failures in protecting victims, appeared before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, detailing how powerful networks enabled years of exploitation.

Labour MP Sarah Champion, chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, said the evidence was 'damning and undeniable' and urged the government to launch a cross-border investigation. 'We cannot keep burying these horrors in national silos,' she told reporters. 'The abuse network spanned continents. Our response must too.'

The timing of the renewed pressure is significant. It comes as the UK faces criticism over its own handling of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which concluded in 2022 after seven years. Victims groups argue that inquiry lacked teeth and failed to hold institutions fully accountable.

At the centre of the latest push is the demand for a new body with powers to compel testimony from foreign witnesses and access banking records across jurisdictions. Former detective and child protection advocate Peter McKelvie said the Epstein case exposed how wealth and connections shielded offenders. 'We have had enough of inquiries that produce reports but no action,' he said. 'The victims need prosecutions, not promises.'

The survivor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, described being trafficked between London, New York, and Caribbean islands as a teenager. She alleged that British police were alerted to concerns in the early 2000s but took no action. 'They knew. They let it happen,' she said.

Downing Street has so far resisted calls for a new inquiry, insisting that current laws are sufficient and that the Crown Prosecution Service will pursue any new evidence. But with the US Congress now signalling its own investigations, pressure is mounting from across the aisle.

Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, who chairs the Women and Equalities Select Committee, said the government must act to restore public faith. 'If we do not lead on this, we will be seen as complicit in the cover-up,' she said.

Campaigners plan to gather outside Parliament next week to demand a debate. For many working class families in Rotherham, Rochdale and beyond, the echoes of past failures are raw. They know all too well how establishments close ranks.

As one survivor advocate put it: 'The cost of silence is paid in children's lives.' The question now is whether Westminster will finally listen.