U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his handling of the nation’s child grooming gang scandal on Monday, responding to increased scrutiny following remarks from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The scandal, which involved decades of abuse by predominantly South Asian or British Pakistani gangs in northern England, has drawn renewed calls for a national inquiry.
Starmer, addressing reporters, accused critics of spreading “lies and misinformation” for personal gain. Without directly naming Musk, he alluded to the billionaire’s comments, which included calls for Starmer’s prosecution over alleged failures as director of public prosecutions when the abuse cases were first exposed.
Musk criticized the government’s rejection of a new national inquiry into Oldham’s handling of abuse cases, claiming officials were complicit in a cover-up. He accused Starmer of ignoring victims to preserve political support, labeling him “utterly despicable” in a post on X. Musk also called for King Charles III to intervene and for Home Office Minister Jess Phillips to face prosecution, calling her a “rape genocide apologist.”
The abuse scandals in towns like Rotherham, Telford, and Oldham revealed systemic failures by local authorities. Reports documented instances of children being ignored or silenced due to fears of stoking racial tensions. A 2022 report into Oldham found no evidence of a cover-up but acknowledged failures in protecting children and concerns about the far-right exploiting the cases.
Starmer defended his record, asserting that he reopened cases and reformed prosecutorial approaches to tackle abuse. He criticized those calling for inquiries as pandering to the far-right and undermining public trust in government institutions. “This has to be based on facts and truth, not on lies,” Starmer said.
The controversy highlights ongoing political and public tensions over the handling of grooming scandals, with figures like Musk and Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch pushing for greater accountability. Calls for a national inquiry persist, underscoring the lasting impact of these horrific crimes on British society.