London: Elon Musk has triggered a political storm in the UK over his sensational allegations against Prime Minister Keir Starmer who he claimed has failed to take any convincing action against child grooming gangs in the country, evoking calls for investigations into the scandal.
In a series of posts, beginning January 1, Musk hit out at Starmer, accusing him of failing to take decisive action on the grooming gangs, run by Pakistani-origin people, during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions (2008-2013). The SpaceX CEO alleged that under Starmer’s leadership of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), “rape gangs” were allowed to exploit vulnerable girls without being held accountable, linking institutional failures to Starmer’s tenure.
The Labour government swiftly rejected Elon Musk’s remarks, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting calling them “misjudged and misinformed.” Starmer’s supporters highlighted that during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions, he implemented new guidelines in 2013 aimed at improving the handling of child sexual exploitation cases.
Let’s take a look at what the grooming gang issue is and why Elon Musk is targeting the UK government over it.
What is the UK Grooming Gang Scandal?
The grooming gang scandals have been a contentious issue in UK politics for years. Investigations in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford exposed widespread child sexual exploitation, often involving culprits of predominantly Pakistani descent. Reports pointed to systemic failures by local authorities and law enforcement, with officials accused of overlooking or downplaying abuse to avoid accusations of racism.
A 2022 inquiry into Oldham uncovered significant safeguarding failures but found no evidence of organised exploitation within council-run facilities. National investigations, including the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), have consistently highlighted gaps in the system, prompting successive governments to promise reforms.
Police data from 2023 shows that group-based child sexual abuse accounted for 3.7% of all sexual offences against children reported to authorities. The figures reveal that 26% of such abuse occurred within families, while 17% involved organised groups, including grooming gangs. Schools, clubs, and religious institutions accounted for 9%.
Multiple investigations have examined the systematic rape of girls and young women by organised gangs in locations such as Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, and Bristol. Inquiries have also scrutinised Greater Manchester Police’s handling of historical child sex abuse cases in Manchester, Oldham, and Rochdale.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, emphasised that tackling grooming gangs should not be a political issue. “We’ve addressed this when others were looking in a different direction,” he said.
