Sir Keir Starmer has defended his ministers and approach to tackling child sex abuse after days of vitriolic online discourse led by Elon Musk.
The prime minister launched into a lengthy criticism of people ‘spreading lies and misinformation far and wide’ on social media after a speech in Surrey this morning.
It came after the world’s richest man called for Sir Keir and his safeguarding minister Jess Phillips to be jailed for their response to the grooming gangs scandal.
Musk’s posts have included several calling for far-right agitator Tommy Robinson to be freed from prison, where he is serving time for contempt of court.
The PM said: ‘Those how are spreading lies and misinformation as far and wide as possible are 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 gang grooming case.
‘These are people who are trying to get some vicarious thrill from street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.’
He said Phillips has ‘done a thousand times more than they’ve even dreamed about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse, throughout her entire career’.
Sir Keir also defended his approach to prosecuting criminal gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions, saying he brought the first prosecution of an Asian grooming gang and ‘changed the whole prosecution approach’.
Politicians from the Conservatives and Reform UK are among those who have joined in with criticism of the PM in recent days.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said a full national inquiry should be launched into ‘rape gangs’, after Phillips told Oldham Council a local inquiry would be sufficient.
In response, Sir Keir said today: ‘What I won’t tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon, simply to get attention, when those politicians sat in government for 14 long years, tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it.
‘Now so desperate for attention that they’ll amplify what the far right are saying.’
Yesterday, Reform leader Nigel Farage defended Musk as a ‘hero’, but added he does not ‘have to agree with every single statement he makes’.
Later on Sunday, the billionaire unexpectedly withdrew support from Farage, claiming he ‘doesn’t have what it takes’ to lead his party.
He later appeared to endorse former Southampton FC chairman and Reform MP Rupert Lowe to take over.
Farage later responded: ‘Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree.
‘My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.’
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