Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stirred controversy in the UK by making a series of provocative posts aimed at Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour government, reigniting debates around the issue of child grooming gangs and prompting calls for renewed investigations.
Musk’s Criticism of Starmer On New Year’s Day, Musk accused Keir Starmer of failing to take action on grooming gang cases during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from 2008 to 2013. Musk alleged that under Starmer’s leadership, “rape gangs” were allowed to exploit vulnerable girls without facing justice, claiming that institutional failures were linked to Starmer’s role in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The billionaire also took aim at Jess Phillips, the UK’s safeguarding minister, accusing her of protecting Starmer by rejecting a call for a public inquiry into alleged grooming scandals in Oldham. Musk suggested that Phillips’ stance was politically motivated to shield Starmer, labeling her response as a “cover-up” of systemic issues.
In a series of posts on the social media platform X, Musk called for a new national inquiry into grooming gangs and demanded that the Labour government face an immediate general election. He even accused Phillips of being a “rape genocide apologist.”
The Labour government swiftly dismissed Musk’s remarks, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling them “misjudged and misinformed.” Supporters of Starmer point out that, during his time as DPP, he introduced new guidelines in 2013 aimed at improving the handling of child sexual exploitation cases.
The Grooming Gang Scandals The grooming gang scandals have long been a sensitive issue in UK politics, with investigations in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford revealing extensive child sexual exploitation, often by men of predominantly Pakistani descent. There have been widespread accusations that local authorities and law enforcement ignored or downplayed these abuses to avoid being labeled racist.
The 2022 Oldham inquiry found significant safeguarding failures but no evidence of organized exploitation within council-run facilities. National inquiries, such as the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), have repeatedly highlighted gaps in the system, and various governments have pledged reforms.
Far-right figures like Tommy Robinson and Nigel Farage have used these issues to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment, and Musk’s support for Robinson has led critics to accuse him of spreading disinformation.
Musk and Farage Musk has aligned himself with far-right movements in Europe and expressed support for the Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage. He has also backed Tommy Robinson, who is currently serving an 18-month sentence for contempt of court.
However, in a surprising move on Sunday, Musk appeared to distance himself from Farage, suggesting that Reform UK needs a new leader. He posted on X that “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
This public break comes after Farage revealed that he had been in discussions with Musk regarding a potential significant financial donation to Reform UK. Farage’s party, which split the conservative vote in the July 2024 general election, is seen as a potential factor in Labour’s return to power.
Musk also posted on X questioning why Robinson was in solitary confinement, suggesting it was for “telling the truth” about grooming gangs—scandals involving the exploitation of young girls by predominantly South Asian men in various UK cities.
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