Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has intensified his criticism of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, targeting the Labour government over a historic grooming scandal. Over the past week, Musk has used his platform, X, to accuse a prominent Labour figure of being a “rape genocide apologist” and has called for the imprisonment of Starmer and others.
In response, Starmer condemned the spread of misinformation, accusing politicians and activists of amplifying far-right narratives to gain attention. He noted that such actions have led to threats against MPs, including Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips.
Starmer highlighted that the debate had “crossed a line,” with misinformation prioritizing personal agendas over victims’ welfare. His remarks came amid controversy surrounding Phillips’ decision to support a local investigation into historical child exploitation in Oldham rather than a government-led inquiry.
The grooming scandal, first revealed in the 2010s, exposed the systematic abuse of thousands of girls in towns like Rotherham and Rochdale. A 2014 report estimated that 1,400 children were exploited in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, primarily by men of Pakistani origin.
As head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) from 2008 to 2013, Starmer implemented reforms to improve case handling, although earlier prosecutorial decisions remain contentious. Musk’s accusations hinge on a misinterpreted 2008 Home Office memo, which allegedly allowed abuse to continue. However, former prosecutor Nazir Afzal dismissed this claim and credited Starmer for reforms that improved CPS conviction rates for sex abuse cases.
Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown also refuted Musk’s claims, calling them “complete fabrications.”
Separately, Musk shared a far-right activist’s post about the 2004 racially motivated murder of Kriss Donald, claiming it was the first time he had heard of the case. Former Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf responded, highlighting the role of Scottish-Pakistani MP Mohammad Sarwar in securing the extradition of the killers from Pakistan.
Donald’s family consistently opposed far-right exploitation of the tragedy, emphasizing it was a gang-related crime rather than a community issue. Despite this, far-right groups have used the case to promote divisive agendas.
