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Starmer condemns ‘lies and misinformation’ as he hits back at Musk Starmer condemns ‘lies and misinformation’ as he hits back at Musk
(32 minutes later)
PM also criticises politicians ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ amid row over action on child sexual exploitationPM also criticises politicians ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ amid row over action on child sexual exploitation
Keir Starmer has said the online debate about child sexual exploitation is based on lies, with politicians “jumping on the bandwagon simply to get attention” as he hit back at Elon Musk.Keir Starmer has said the online debate about child sexual exploitation is based on lies, with politicians “jumping on the bandwagon simply to get attention” as he hit back at Elon Musk.
Responding to questions about social media posts from the billionaire Tesla owner, Starmer said a line had been crossed when the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, and others received serious threats as a result of the “poison of the far right”.Responding to questions about social media posts from the billionaire Tesla owner, Starmer said a line had been crossed when the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, and others received serious threats as a result of the “poison of the far right”.
The prime minister rejected calls for another review into the Oldham rape gang cases because he said the “utterly sickening” issue “does not need any more consultations, it just needs action”.The prime minister rejected calls for another review into the Oldham rape gang cases because he said the “utterly sickening” issue “does not need any more consultations, it just needs action”.
He said a line had been crossed when Musk suggested Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for denying requests for the Home Office to open a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, and called her a “rape genocide apologist”.He said a line had been crossed when Musk suggested Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for denying requests for the Home Office to open a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, and called her a “rape genocide apologist”.
Starmer was launching his government’s reforms of the NHS at Epsom hospital when he was asked about Musk’s attacks on Phillips, and also the billionaire’s claims that Starmer should be in prison.Starmer was launching his government’s reforms of the NHS at Epsom hospital when he was asked about Musk’s attacks on Phillips, and also the billionaire’s claims that Starmer should be in prison.
He expressed his concerns about the future direction of the Conservative party under Kemi Badenoch, given the Conservatives did not condemn Musk’s comments about Phillips.He expressed his concerns about the future direction of the Conservative party under Kemi Badenoch, given the Conservatives did not condemn Musk’s comments about Phillips.
Starmer said: “Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.Starmer said: “Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.
“Those who are cheerleading Tommy Robinson are not interested in justice. They’re supporting a man who went to prison for nearly collapsing a grooming case, a gang grooming case. These are people are trying to get some kind of vicarious thrill from street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.” “Those who are cheerleading Tommy Robinson are not interested in justice. They’re supporting a man who went to prison for nearly collapsing a grooming case, a gang grooming case. These are people trying to get some kind of vicarious thrill from street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.”
Expressing his support for his safeguarding minister, the prime minister added: “And those attacking Jess Phillips, whom I’m proud to call a colleague and a friend on protecting victims – Jess Phillips has done 1,000 times more than they’ve even dreamt about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse throughout her entire career … Expressing his support for his safeguarding minister, the prime minister added: “And those attacking Jess Phillips, whom I’m proud to call a colleague and a friend, on protecting victims – Jess Phillips has done 1,000 times more than they’ve even dreamt about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse throughout her entire career …
“We’ve seen this playbook many times, whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.“We’ve seen this playbook many times, whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.
“Jess Phillips does not need me or anybody else to speak on her behalf. But when the poison of the far right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, that in my book [means] a line has been crossed.”“Jess Phillips does not need me or anybody else to speak on her behalf. But when the poison of the far right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, that in my book [means] a line has been crossed.”
He also defended his record as director of public prosecutions, which has been called into question in the online debate on child sexual exploitation.He also defended his record as director of public prosecutions, which has been called into question in the online debate on child sexual exploitation.
Starmer said: “And for many, many years, too many victims have been completely let down; let down by perverse ideas about community relations or by the idea that institutions must be protected above all else. And they’ve not been listened to, and they’ve not been heard. Starmer said: “For many, many years, too many victims have been completely let down; let down by perverse ideas about community relations or by the idea that institutions must be protected above all else. And they’ve not been listened to, and they’ve not been heard.
“And when I was chief prosecutor for five years, I tackled that head on, because I could see what was happening, and that’s why I reopened cases that have been closed and supposedly finished. I brought the first major prosecution of an Asian grooming gang in the particular case – it was in Rochdale, but it was the first of its kind … “And when I was chief prosecutor for five years, I tackled that head-on, because I could see what was happening, and that’s why I reopened cases that have been closed and supposedly finished. I brought the first major prosecution of an Asian grooming gang – in the particular case it was in Rochdale, but it was the first of its kind …
“We changed, or I changed, the whole prosecution approach, because I wanted to challenge, and did challenge the myths and stereotypes that were stopping those victims being heard.” “We changed, or I changed, the whole prosecution approach, because I wanted to challenge, and did challenge, the myths and stereotypes that were stopping those victims being heard.”
He stressed his “record is not secret”, and said he called for “mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse” which he claims “the Tories did nothing about … including when the [Prof Alexis] Jay report came out”. He said his “record is not secret”, and said he had called for “mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse”, which he claimed “the Tories did nothing about … including when the [Prof Alexis] Jay report came out”.
Musk had used his own platform, X, to claim Starmer failed to act against the sex offender Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.Musk had used his own platform, X, to claim Starmer failed to act against the sex offender Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions.