The stench of scandal has drifted across the Channel. Paris is convulsed by a wave of child abuse cases in its schools. Think of the political fallout here. Sir Michael Wilshaw, the Chief Inspector of Schools, is already on the move. His team is reviewing safeguarding protocols. This is not panic. This is a pre-emptive strike.
Whitehall sources whisper that the Education Secretary demanded an immediate review. Cabinet is spooked. The spectre of a Westminster version of the Paris horror is too much. Labour is sharpening its knives. They will ask: "Could it happen here?" The answer is uncomfortable.
The Department for Education has issued a terse statement. They say they are "closely monitoring the situation." Close monitoring is what you say when the alarm bells are deafening. The National Association of Head Teachers is briefing against any additional bureaucratic burdens. They warn against a "knee-jerk reaction." But the political momentum is building.
Here is the inside game. The Prime Minister's poll numbers are fragile. A child safety scandal would be a wrecking ball. The Downing Street machine is in overdrive. They are lining up internal reviews, commissioning reports. All designed to show they are ahead of the curve. But the backbenchers are restless. They want action. They want blood.
The Paris cases are horrific. Trust me, the details are grim. French media has turned its fire on the education ministry. The minister there is fighting for her political life. Our own ministers are watching closely. They are not just concerned about the children. They are concerned about their own careers.
I have spoken to a senior source in the safeguarding unit. They say the review is "thorough and unflinching." That is code for a whitewash designed to show that everything is fine. But the real test will come in a few weeks. The first batch of data will be published. If it shows a rise in allegations, the political earthquake will hit London.
Remember Rochdale. Remember Rotherham. The memory is still raw. The public mood is unforgiving. The media will not be fobbed off with platitudes. The Education Select Committee is already planning a hearing. They want to know what our schools are doing differently. The answer may be: not enough.
The Paris scandal is a grenade thrown into the heart of British politics. The Westminster machine is scrambling. The inspectors are reviewing. But the clock is ticking.
