Elon Musk: Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison over Labour refusal to launch grooming inquiry
Elon Musk: Jess Phillips deserves to be in prison over Labour refusal to launch grooming inquiry
Kemi Badenoch joins widespread criticism of decision, saying rape gang investigation was ‘long overdue’
By Dominic Penna
January 2, 2025
Labour has come under fire after refusing to hold a public inquiry into historic sexual abuse by grooming gangs in Oldham.
Elon Musk attacked the decision as “disgraceful” and Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said a full national inquiry into rape gangs was “long overdue”.
Jess Phillips, Labour’s safeguarding minister, insisted it was “for Oldham council alone” to decide whether to launch an investigation into alleged exploitation between 2011 and 2014.
A 2022 report found children in Oldham were failed by agencies that were meant to protect them amid alleged grooming by “predominantly Pakistani offenders” in council homes, shisha bars and by taxi drivers.
Oldham council’s Labour group last year agreed to support an independent inquiry, writing twice to Ms Phillips urging the Home Office to support this work.
The minister replied: “It is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene…
“I welcome the council’s resolution to do so, as set out in your letter, and to continue its important work with victims and survivors.”
Responding to a report on Ms Phillip’s remarks on his social media platform X, Mr Musk claimed that she “deserves to be in prison”.
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1874575303626174956
Mrs Badenoch also shared her view on the platform on Thursday and said: “The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.
“Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots. 2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice.”
Responding to Mrs Badenoch, Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, said: “Talk is cheap. The Conservatives had 14 years in government to launch an inquiry. The establishment has failed the victims of grooming gangs on every level.”
The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.
Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots.
https://x.com/KemiBadenoch/status/1874749990842814606
The tech billionaire has emerged as a vocal critic of Sir Keir Starmer and his government in recent months and will have a major role in Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
In further posts, Mr Musk accused Ms Phillips of a “disgraceful” decision and suggested she had rejected an inquiry in order to shield Sir Keir from blame.
He continued: “In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service’s approval for the police to charge suspects.
“Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008–2013.
“Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Stamer [sic]. The real reason she’s refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Starmer [head of the CPS at the time].”
In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service’s approval for the police to charge suspects.
Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice?
https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1874664089894695221
Sir Keir ordered a comprehensive review of CPS guidelines on sexual exploitation as chief prosecutor in 2012, admitting the service had failed a generation of girls who were abused.
He said at the time that there was “clearly an issue of ethnicity” in a number of grooming cases and that prosecutors should not “shy away from that”.
Sir Keir added: “But if we’re honest it’s the approach to victims, the credibility issue, that caused these cases not to be prosecuted in the past. There was a lack of understanding.”
He went on to blame misleading “assumptions, myths and stereotypes” about sexual violence that led prosecuting lawyers to downplay the credibility of witnesses.
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