British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has openly criticized the recent online discussions regarding child sexual exploitation, labeling them as riddled with falsehoods. He accused certain politicians of opportunistically capitalizing on sensationalized narratives, essentially “jumping on the bandwagon.”
In response to a rash of provocative posts from Tesla titan Elon Musk, Mr. Starmer remarked that “a line has been crossed” when individuals, including safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, face serious threats due to the “toxicity of the far-right.” This sentiment comes in light of Musk’s inflammatory comments made on his platform, X, where he asserted that Ms. Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for allegedly obstructing a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, a town in Greater Manchester. He didn’t stop there; Musk also branded her a “rape genocide apologist.”
Earlier, Musk accused Starmer of being “complicit in the crimes” committed by child sex offenders and insisted, “Prison for Starmer.” When Starmer was pressed on Musk’s incendiary remarks during a talk at Epsom Hospital in Surrey, he asserted, “Those spreading lies and misinformation across the internet care little about victims; their interests lie solely in self-serving agendas.”
Starmer was particularly vocal in his disapproval of Musk’s backing for imprisoned right-wing activist Tommy Robinson, stating: “Individuals who champion Tommy Robinson aren’t advocates for justice; they’re rallying behind a man who nearly derailed a significant grooming case.” The Prime Minister continued, “These folks seem to get a twisted thrill from the street-level violence that figures like Tommy Robinson incite.”
Furthermore, Starmer expressed unease regarding the response from senior Conservative leaders to Musk’s remarks, highlighting a worrying trend within the party. He noted, “Just a few months ago, it would have seemed unimaginable for such things to be said about Jess Phillips without a unified condemnation from all political factions, including the Leader of the Opposition.”
Swatting aside the noise, Starmer defended his track record on combating grooming gangs, stating that he tackled the issue “head-on” during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions. “I re-investigated cases considered closed and led the charge in prosecuting the first major Asian grooming gang case in Rochdale. This was groundbreaking, and many subsequent cases followed suit.”
He firmly stated, “I revamped the entire prosecution strategy because I was determined to challenge the myths and stereotypes that silenced victims.” The Prime Minister remarked, “When I stepped down from my role, we boasted the highest number of child sexual abuse prosecutions on record.” This data, Starmer insists, is public information for all to see.
The uproar sparked by Musk’s statements has also seen Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demand a “comprehensive national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.” She defended Tory justice spokesperson Robert Jenrick after his controversial tweet, claiming that “importing countless individuals from alien cultures with outdated attitudes towards women” has contributed to the unfolding crisis.
In her defense of Jenrick, Badenoch tweeted, “We MUST engage in tough conversations, even if they are difficult for some to digest.”
Not one to hold back, Starmer accused the Tories of echoing far-right sentiments regarding child sexual abuse after neglecting to act for “14 long years.” He stated, “What I refuse to tolerate is politicians seeking cheap publicity while having sat in government for 14 long years, merely tweeting and talking without action. Now, in a desperate grab for attention, they’re amplifying the very narratives espoused by the far-right.”
Meanwhile, Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, called for the “complete enactment” of the recommendations she provided. Distancing herself from the chorus in Westminster calling for another independent review, she emphasized the pressing need to implement the measures proposed two years ago. “The recommendations in my report are as thorough as they come,” she asserted.
Agreeing with Professor Jay, Mr. Starmer expressed a sense of urgency to proceed with the implementation of her recommendations, adding that he feels “a tad impatient” with those asking for yet another inquiry while previous recommendations remain unaddressed. He pointed out Badenoch’s demands for a new inquiry, saying, “She hasn’t even acted on the 20 recommendations from the Jay report … This seems to indicate that gaining attention is overshadowing the core issues at hand.”
Musk didn’t relent in his critique, suggesting Mr. Starmer fears that another inquiry might reveal shortcomings during his time as DPP. Following a journalist’s probing question to Starmer about potential failings during his tenure, Musk retweeted with the assertion: “The real answer is yes.”
In another post on X, Musk lamented, “The British legal system is failing its citizens.”
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
