UK politics – live: Musk claims grandmother would have been ‘abducted’ in modern Britain amid Starmer row
Elon Musk refers to his own British grandmother as billionaire continues his interventions into UK politics
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Your support makes all the difference.Elon Musk has claimed his English grandmother might have been abducted in modern Britain, after Sir Keir Starmer condemned the billionaire’s “lies and misinformation” in a growing row over grooming gangs.
The Tesla boss has launched a series of baseless attacks on Sir Keir and the Labour government over grooming gangs, while also calling for the release of jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson – a development which also saw him turn on Reform leader Nigel Farage on Sunday, claiming he “does not have what it takes” to lead the party.
Conceding that losing Mr Musk’s support would harm Reform, Mr Farage said he would speak to the billionaire during a visit to the US this month to try to “mend any broken fences that might exist”, adding: “I have no desire to go to war with Elon Musk and I’m not going to.”
It came as Professor Alexis Jay, who authored the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, warned that the row over calls for a new national inquiry into child sexual abuse is “distracting from the issues”.
Telford grooming scandal survivors criticise Elon Musk’s attack on Jess Phillips
Survivors of the Telford grooming scandal have criticised Elon Musk’s attack on Jess Phillips, praising the safeguarding minister as having “devoted her life to fighting for women and girls”.
In a letter coordinated by the campaign group Killed Women and shared with The Guardian, three survivors of the grooming scandal in Telford and four others who have lost a female relative to gender-based violence or have suffered domestic abuse, criticised the billionaire after he baselessly labelled Ms Phillips a “rape genocide apologist”.
“We write as victims of extreme male violence,” the letter said. “What connects us all beyond our shared trauma is the support and kindness we have received from Jess Phillips over many years, personally and as activists fighting for change.
“We know there are those who would weaponise our pain for their own ends or political gain; who speak out with new-found interest, not to tackle the horrendous crimes that stole so much from us, but to further their own agenda. They should hang their heads in shame.
“As campaigners and activists, we fight every day to stop what happened to us or our loved ones happening to anyone else. We stand by Jess, knowing she has devoted her life to fighting for women and girls.”
Full report: Yvette Cooper says professionals to face criminal sanctions for failing to report child abuse
The home secretary has announced the professionals who work with children will face criminal sanctions if they do not report child sexual abuse – as recommended by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Yvette Cooper told MPs that a “significant package of measures” will be announced by the government in the next few weeks aimed at tackling online child sexual exploitation.
She also defended her decision not to launch a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal, despite calls from Reform UK and Conservative politicians, as well an online backlash from multi-billionaire Elon Musk.
She also said that the government plans to introduce a victims and survivors panel to oversee reforms and make grooming an aggravating factor in child sexual offences.
Holly Evans reports:
Yvette Cooper says professionals will be forced to report child abuse
The home secretary defended her decision not to launch a national inquiry into the grooming scandal
Government will not introduce a new cabinet minister for children
The victims minister has said that the government will not introduce a new Cabinet-level minister responsible specifically for children, as recommended by Professor Alexis Jay in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Alex Davies-Jones told Times Radio: “We already have a Cabinet member responsible for children – Bridget Phillipson.”
Ms Davies-Jones said that preventing child sexual exploitation was also the responsibility of a wider group of ministers, including herself and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, adding: “This is something that is all of our responsibility across government to deliver.”
Calls for new review ‘distracting from issues’, child abuse inquiry chair warns
Professor Alexis Jay, who authored the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, said the row over calls for a new national inquiry into child sexual abuse is “distracting from the issues”.
She declined to answer when asked whether she felt US billionaire Elon Musk knew what was going on in Oldham, where the council has been refused a public inquiry.
But Prof Jay told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have heard very little in the last few days about the appalling and lifelong effects that child sexual abuse can have on people.”
“I am pleased that the subject matter and the inquiry recommendations are finally getting the attention they deserve but this is definitely not the way I would have chosen for it to happen, but it has had the effect of moving on the agenda,” she said.
Prof Jay agreed the plans for new legislation introduced by home secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday had happened quicker than it might otherwise have done, saying: “It [the row] may well have given it some kind of impetus to move forward.”
British public can ignore my son, says Errol Musk
Errol Musk has said that the UK public are free to ignore his son Elon.
Asked what he would say to people who want his son to stop “sticking his oar” into British politics, Mr Musk told LBC: “Well people don’t have to listen to what he says. I mean, he’s just a person.
“The fact that he has money, is a billionaire or something to that effect – I mean, hundreds of thousands of people are tweeting the same things.
“Or just don’t listen to him then, that’s what I’d say. Just tell him to get lost.”
Whistleblower says Starmer ‘out of touch'
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, as a former director of public prosecutions, is “out of touch” with how the country feels about the way grooming gangs have been dealt with, according to whistleblower Maggie Oliver.
Ms Oliver, a former detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police in 2012, told LBC Radio: “He was the director of public prosecutions. He is front and centre for me, the buck stops at the top.”
On Monday, the Prime Minister defended his record as DPP between 2008 and 2013 after Elon Musk accused him of failing at that time to bring “rape gangs” to justice.
Ms Oliver said of Sir Keir: “The comments he made yesterday really made me feel that he is out of touch with the mood of the country.
“Yet again, people now know what’s happened – you know those years ago, nobody did.”
Alexis Jay urges government to ‘get on with’ inquiry recommendations
Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, said “people should just get on with” implementing the recommendations made in previous inquiries into child sexual abuse rather than holding another one.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Prof Jay said she did not agree that more national inquiries should take place.
“We have learned a lot from those reviews that have already been undertaken. Locally people need to step up to the mark and do the things that have been recommended,” she said.
“I think that the time has passed for more inquiries. We’ve had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions and especially for those victims and survivors who’ve had the courage to come forward, and they clearly want action.
“We have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it. Locally and nationally.”
Watch: Elon Musk’s father says ‘good chance’ Tommy Robinson will be prime minister one day
Victims minister will not back calls for another national inquiry
Alex Davies-Jones has said she will not support a move to set up a new national inquiry into child grooming gangs.
The victims minister said the government will instead focus on implementing the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which was set up in 2015 led by Prof Alexis Jay.
When asked if the inquiry was satisfactory, Davies-Jones told BBC Breakfast: “I think that inquiry was very broad and wide ranging. We owe it to those victims to get on with the job - more actions less words - and deliver on those recommendations.”
No new Cabinet minister role to be created for children, victim minister says
The victims minister said the Government would not create a specific Cabinet minister responsible for children, as recommended by Professor Alexis Jay, saying one already existed.
Alex Davies-Jones told Times Radio: “We already have a Cabinet member responsible for children, Bridget Phillipson.”
She added that preventing child sexual exploitation was also the responsibility of a wider group of ministers, including herself and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.
Ms Davies-Jones said: “This is something that is all of our responsibility across Government to deliver.”
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