Musk and Tories attack PM on grooming gangs scandal

Sir Keir Starmer is being assailed by both the Tories and Elon Musk over his handling of the Oldham grooming gangs scandal, in an explosive row that threatens to overshadow the return of parliament.

- MILLIE COOKE

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has demanded the government launch an immediate inquiry into child exploitation in Britain, after Mr Musk doubled down on his criticism of the UK government and accused the prime minister of failing to prosecute child grooming gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions (DPP).

The row spread across British politics as Reform leader Nigel Farage then waded in, criticising the Tories for failing to hold an inquiry while in office.

In the extraordinary new year spat:

• Mr Musk attacked Sir Keir’s handling of the grooming scandal, claimed Jess Phillips should be jailed, and demanded the release of Tommy Robinson

• Ms Badenoch said an inquiry into child exploitation is “long overdue”

• Two Tory ministers wrote a letter to Yvette Cooper and Ms Phillips demanding a probe

• Mr Farage took aim at the Tories, saying they had 14 years to launch an inquiry

• A Labour MP argued Mr Musk had “pushed it too far this time”

In a series of posts to his social media platform X, the tech billionaire called for safeguarding minister Ms Phillips to be jailed for rejecting calls for a public inquiry into historic child abuse in Oldham, as well as demanding the release of far-right activist Robinson, who was jailed for 18 months for contempt of court last October.

Hours after Mr Musk’s bizarre intervention, Ms Badenoch demanded a national probe into the UK’s “rape gangs scandal”, arguing that “2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice”.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns also piled further pressure on the government, writing a letter to Ms Phillips and home secretary Ms Cooper.