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In today’s heated PMQs, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer clashed with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch over the government’s stance on a national inquiry into grooming gangs, with Badenoch demanding urgent action as Starmer pushed back against the idea of further investigations.
Badenoch used the first PMQs of the year to press Starmer on the issue of historical grooming gangs, calling them the “rape gang” scandal, as she argued for the execution of a new national inquiry. The basis for the argument was centred around the opinion that previous investigations had been inadequate, and that a fresh inquiry was necessary in order to hold the perpetrators fully accountable.
Starmer countered by placing emphasis on the importance of immediate action, suggesting that additional investigations could delay necessary measures to protect children and create a barrier for the accession of justice for victims.
Prior to the discussion, Starmer said “We have to focus on the victims and survivors” and that “it isn’t helpful. These sort of lies and misinformation and slinging of mud doesn’t help them one bit.” The Prime Minister also claimed that a new inquiry would pose the potential to delay the implementation of Professor Alexis Jay OBE’s recommendations “until 2031”.
Sir Starmer then went on and accused the Conservatives of failing to implement any of the 2022 recommendations from the report, stating that the Tories have “been tweeting and talking. We’ve been acting”. He went on to also accuse them of “jumping on a bandwagon” and “amplifying what the far-right is saying” on child sexual abuse, after they failed to make alterations or actions “for 14 long years”.
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby on the ‘Electoral Dysfunction’ podcast “nothing is off the table” when it comes to dealing with the Grooming Gangs Scandal. Saying “If the victims come forward to me in this victims panel and they say, ‘actually, we think there needs to be a national inquiry into this’, I’ll listen to them,” she said.
This Scandal came back into the headlines this past week as it emerged that Minister Phillips had allegedly rejected calls from Oldham Council, where they requested a government inquiry into grooming gangs in the town. She allegedly said the council should carry such an inquiry out instead.
In response to the situation American billionaire, Elon Musk, has been utilising his social media platforms to launch an attack on Starmer and Phillips, calling for a national inquiry. Musk claimed Jess Phillips “deserves to be in jail” and went as far as calling her a “rape genocide apologist”, for her speculated rejection of the Oldham call. Musk also made attacks on Keir Stamer on Monday by accusing him of being “deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes”.
Musk’s involvement and attacks on the UK’s government, sparking calls for Starmer to consider a defamation claim, are seemingly unprovoked. It is apparent however, that his political interferences are increasingly targeted at left and centrist leaning European Governments and leaders, actions which may be linked to the speculation he may obtain a prominent position in the administration of US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has gone as far as saying that “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government”.
The UK Prime Minister defended himself by arguing that his record as director of public prosecutions (DPP) from 2008-2013 illustrates the involvement he had in altering “the entire approach” the executive branch took toward child sexual abuse victims that was stopping them from being heard, and that he had the highest number of cases prosecuted on record. He argued he reopened cases he felt were not properly investigated, and oversaw the first prosecution of a large-scale grooming gang in Rochdale, keen to rebut claims of tyranny and neglect by Musk.
What is clear, is that the UK Government is facing immense pressure internally and internationally over their handling of such a socially sensitive matter, and the Labour Party will need to be aware of the dangers Elon Musk poses to democracy, as he continues his media barrages against political figures with whom he disagrees.
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