Sir Keir Starmer has claimed that certain individuals are “propagating falsehoods” regarding grooming gangs, asserting that their interests do not lie with the victims but with their own agendas, following Elon Musk’s accusation of his “complicity” in the matter.
“Those who are disseminating false narratives and misinformation extensively lack genuine concern for victims. Their priority is themselves,” stated Sir Keir.
“I appreciate the vigor of political discourse, the essential robust discussions we must maintain. However, such dialogue must be founded on facts and reality, not on fabrications. Not on individuals so eager for recognition that they might tarnish both themselves and their nation.”
He refrained from commenting on the specifics of various accusations but addressed Mr. Musk’s assertion that safeguarding minister Jess Phillips “should be incarcerated” and labelling her a “rape genocide apologist” for refusing to endorse a national inquiry into historical child grooming in Oldham.
The Prime Minister blamed the Conservative party for “echoing the rhetoric of the far-right” regarding child sexual abuse after neglecting the issue “for 14 prolonged years”.
Sir Keir referenced his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from 2008 to 2013, emphasizing how he transformed “the overall strategy” toward child sexual abuse victims, enabling their voices to be heard, resulting in the highest number of prosecutions on record.
Elon Musk has been making allegations against Sir Keir over the past week. File pic: AP Photo/Evan Vucci
He noted that he reopened investigations he believed were inadequately handled and supervised the maiden prosecution of an Asian grooming gang in Rochdale.
Sir Keir also pointed out that he advocated for mandatory reporting, a request that the Conservatives did not fulfill.
The Prime Minister asserted that Ms. Phillips has done “far more than a thousand times” to safeguard victims of sexual abuse than those criticizing her could “even imagine”.
This marks Sir Keir’s first response to the barrage of accusations from Mr. Musk in the preceding week.
Mr. Musk has utilized X, the social media platform he owns, to launch attacks at Sir Keir and Ms. Phillips, following news that she suggested the Oldham Council conduct its own inquiry rather than a national one.
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Musk ‘ill-informed’ on grooming gangs
The billionaire has accused the Prime Minister of being “complicit” as he held the position of DPP during the period when gangs, predominantly composed of men of Pakistani descent, were taking advantage of primarily white girls as young as 11 across multiple towns in the UK.
The world’s wealthiest individual suggested that Sir Keir should face imprisonment and, on Monday morning, conducted a poll questioning whether “America should rescue the people of Britain from their oppressive government”.
Other political groups have also weighed in, with Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice stating on Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that Mr. Musk is “one of history’s most notable entrepreneurs” and alleging a “deliberate concealment” of the grooming gangs crisis due to fears of being labeled as racist.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for a comprehensive national inquiry into the “rape gangs scandal”, stating that “authority figures have failed to connect the dots” regarding the organized abuse of young women by these gangs throughout the UK.
Sir Keir concluded: “What I cannot tolerate is politicians exploiting the situation merely for attention.
“When those politicians occupied government roles for 14 extended years, tweeting and discussing but doing nothing, now they appear desperate for visibility. Their actions serve only to amplify far-right sentiments.”
