Elon Musk slams UK PM over child abuse by Pak grooming gangs; UK responds

The Tesla chief has criticised UK PM Keir Starmer for 'mishandling' child exploitation cases involving Pakistani-origin gangs; UK govt said that claims made by him are 'misjudged and misinformed'

Tech tycoon Elon Musk has criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his handling of the case of sexual exploitation of young girls by grooming gangs, mainly involving British Pakistani men, in Oldham, accusing him of failing to ensure justice to victims of "rape gangs" during his tenure as the Director of Public Prosecutions over a decade ago.

 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk said, "Starmer was complicit in the rape of Britain when he was head of Crown Prosecution for six years. Starmer must go and he must face charges for his complicity in the worst mass crime in the history of Britain."

 

 

Starmer was complicit in the RAPE OF BRITAIN when he was head of Crown Prosecution for 6 years.  Starmer must go and he must face charges for his complicity in the worst mass crime in the history of Britain.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 3, 2025

  Musk also urged King Charles to intervene by dissolving the Parliament, following Labour Party’s rejection of a call for a national inquiry into the scandal.

 

However, the UK government termed Musk's remarks as "misjudged and certainly misinformed". Despite this, officials expressed openness to collaborating with Musk on addressing the issue.

 

Addressing Musk's comments, Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the claims were "misjudged and misinformed". However, he acknowledged the potential for Musk's social media platform to aid efforts in tackling this critical issue, saying, "But we're willing to work with Elon Musk. I think he's got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue. So, if he wants to work with us, roll his sleeves up. We'd welcome that."

 

The issue gained renewed attention after Home Office Minister Jess Phillips declined Oldham Council's request for a government-led inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation, suggesting the council conduct the review instead. This decision prompted backlash, with the Conservatives advocating for a national inquiry.

 

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch emphasised the urgency, stating on X, "2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice."

 

The sexual exploitation of young girls by grooming gangs has long been a controversial and sensitive issue, often highlighted by far-right groups.

Grooming gang scandal

Investigations in northern England, including one in Rotherham, uncovered systemic abuse of children, with 1,400 victims over 16 years, predominantly involving British Pakistani men.

 

Shadow ministers have called on Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to overturn her junior minister’s decision and initiate a national inquiry. They argued that only a statutory inquiry can address the national scope of these crimes.

 

The UK government has pledged to implement recommendations from the 2022 national inquiry into child sexual abuse, led by Professor Alexis Jay. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) outlined 20 recommendations, with Professor Jay saying, "It doesn't need more consultation. It does not need more research or discussion. It just needs to be done."

 

(With agency inputs)