Sir Keir Starmer comments on Elon Musk grooming gang accusations for first time

Sir Keir Starmer has accused people of "spreading lies" about grooming gangs and said they are not interested in victims after Elon Musk accused him of being "complicit" in the scandal.

"Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and wide as possible, they're not interested in victims. They're interested in themselves," Sir Keir said.

"I enjoy the thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have. But that's got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies. Not on those who are so desperate for attention that they're prepared to debase themselves and their country."

He said he would not comment on specific people's accusations but was answering a question about Mr Musk claiming safeguarding minister Jess Phillips "deserves to be in jail" and calling her a "rape genocide apologist" for rejecting a call for a national inquiry into historical child grooming in Oldham.

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The PM accused the Tories of "jumping on a bandwagon" and "amplifying what the far-right is saying" on child sexual abuse after failing to act "for 14 long years".

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is calling for a full national inquiry into grooming gangs and will seek to table an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing Bill on Wednesday to force a vote on the issue.

Mr Musk reacted to Sir Keir on Monday by accusing him of being "deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes".

In another post, he said the PM would not allow a government inquiry because it would "show how Starmer repeatedly ignored the pleas of vast numbers of little girls and their parents, in order to secure political support".

Sir Keir said his record as director of public prosecutions (DPP) from 2008-2013 shows how he changed "the entire approach" to child sexual abuse victims that was stopping them from being heard, and had the highest number of cases prosecuted on record.

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He said he reopened cases he felt were not properly investigated and oversaw the first prosecution of an Asian grooming gang in Rochdale.

Sir Keir also said he called for mandatory reporting but the Conservatives failed to do that.

The PM added: "What I won't tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon simply to get attention.

"When those politicians sat in government for 14 long years tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it, now, so desperate for attention. But they're amplifying what the far right is saying."

The PM said Ms Phillips has done "a thousand times more" to protect sexual abuse victims than those criticising her have "even dreamt about".

Read more:
Musk says Farage 'doesn't have what it takes'
Musk must be a busy man - so why is he so interested in UK politics?

Musk's accusations

This is the first time Sir Keir has responded directly to a flurry of accusations from Mr Musk over the past week.

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Mr Musk has been using X, the social media platform he owns, to attack Sir Keir and Ms Phillips after it emerged last week she said Oldham Council should carry out its own inquiry instead of a nationwide one.

The billionaire has accused the prime minister of being "complicit" as he was the director of the DPP at the time gangs of men, mainly of Pakistani descent, were exploiting mainly white girls, as young as 11, in several towns across the UK.

The richest man in the world has said Sir Keir should be in prison and on Monday morning posted a poll asking if "America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government".

Other parties condemn PM's comments

The Conservatives and Reform have criticised Sir Keir for saying those calling for a government inquiry are "far-right", as their leaders demanded an inquiry.

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Tory leader Ms Badenoch said on X that the scandal "should prompt soul-searching, not ranting that those of us who care about it are 'the far-right',".

She said she would try to force a vote on a national inquiry.

"I was serious when I said it's time to get justice for victims," she wrote.

"So on Wednesday, Conservatives will put forward an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing Bill to require a full national inquiry into the rape gangs grooming scandal.

"If the amendment is selected, I hope MPs from all parties will vote to support the inquiry, so we can do right by the victims and end the culture of cover ups."

Reform leader Nigel Farage said Sir Keir was "wrong, prime minister" to say anyone calling for a full public inquiry was "jumping on the bandwagon of the far right".

"The vast majority of people in this country are absolutely mortified by what has gone on," he said.

"But even worse, the cover-up we've had from the police, social services and both Conservative and Labour governments.

"The inquiries we've had so far have been nothing more than a whitewash. There needs to be a full public inquiry. Let us find out the truth of the scale of this."