Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips has said that disinformation spread by Elon Musk was “endangering” her, but she downplayed the threat, saying it was nothing compared to the experiences of victims of abuse. The tech billionaire had labelled Phillips a “rape genocide apologist” and suggested she should be jailed after he criticized her decision not to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.
Phillips defended the government’s decision, arguing that local inquiries were more effective at leading to change. She cited the example of Telford, where an independent inquiry led to change, and said she would bring council leaders together to learn from its success.
The row between Mr Musk and the UK government concerns cases of groups of men being convicted for sexually abusing and raping predominantly white girls around the UK. Conservative MPs have called for a national inquiry into grooming gangs, while Labour has opposed it, citing evidence that local inquiries are more effective.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said MPs should not be voting down a bill that includes measures for safeguarding children, but shadow education minister Neil O’Brien claimed the government was “blocking” a full national inquiry. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced actions to implement the recommendations of the Jay review, including criminal sanctions for those who fail to report child sexual abuse.
Phillips dismissed suggestions that Mr Musk’s interventions had prompted the government into action, saying they were just making it so that everybody’s talking about it.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn7r0pzz57vo