Jan 6, 2025 03:29 AM
(This post was last modified: Jan 6, 2025 04:07 AM by C C.)
The grooming gangs condemnation is too little, too late (intro): The “grooming gangs” scandal (calling them “rape gangs” would be more accurate) has resurfaced, largely thanks to a New Year’s Day report about Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips declining to commission a Home Office-led inquiry into historic child exploitation in Oldham. The decision was based on the grounds that it is a job for “Oldham Council alone”.
As the issue has returned to national salience, many who have hitherto shown zero interest in condemning child sexual abuse have put themselves at the forefront of the debate. X owner Elon Musk has lobbied for the release of activist Tommy Robinson, who has erroneously been credited for uncovering the scandal. In fact, Musk’s hero, far from breaking the rape gangs story, almost scuppered the 2018 trial of several men who had carried out horrific acts of sexual violence on a number of girls... (MORE - details)
How the grooming gangs scandal was covered up (intro): Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips’ decision to block a public inquiry into the Oldham grooming gangs seems, from the outside, to be almost inexplicable. Children were raped and abused by gangs of men, while the authorities failed to protect them.
A review of the abuse in Oldham was released in 2022, but its terms of reference only stretched from 2011-2014. Survivors from the town said that they wanted a government-led inquiry to cover a longer period, and catch what the previous review had missed. In Jess Phillips’s letter to the council, revealed by GB News, she said she understood the strength of feeling in the town, but thought it best for another local review to take place.
This is a scandal that should be rooted out entirely, and investigated by the full might of the British state. Voices ranging from Elon Musk to Kemi Badenoch have joined the calls for an inquiry. Yet the Government seems curiously reluctant to dig into the failings of officials... (MORE - details)
Senior Labour figures put pressure on Starmer over Musk attacks on Jess Phillips
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/senior...TO=newsnow
EXCERPTS: Musk has frequently used X, the social media platform which he has owned since 2022, to criticise the UK Government in recent months. Over the past week, he has focused his criticisms on Labour’s failure to launch an inquiry into grooming gangs, as well as calling for far-right figure Tommy Robinson to be released from prison.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court. He was found guilty of breaching a court order after screening a documentary that included false claims about a Syrian refugee schoolboy.
Musk shared the same documentary, describing it as “worth watching” and supporting calls to “free Tommy Robinson”. Musk has also suggested that Starmer failed to prosecute grooming gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions.
[...] Senior Labour figures have urged Sir Keir Starmer to speak up against Elon Musk following his attacks on minister Jess Phillips. It is understood Starmer will answer their plea on Monday and use a major press conference about his NHS plans to defend his record on tackling grooming gangs.
The Prime Minister is expected to point out that he gave the green light to prosecute paedophile gangs in Rochdale in 2013 and that he launched reforms into how the Crown Prosecution Service handles child abuse cases.
Tech billionaire Musk has heavily criticised the UK Government in recent days after it was revealed that Phillips formally denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham.
Musk posted on X that Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for the decision and branded her a “rape genocide apologist”, alongside numerous posts criticising Starmer for failing to launch an inquiry.
Phillips has received significant abuse on X in the days following the post, which has led many in the Labour Party to urge Starmer to speak out against Musk for his criticisms of the UK.
One Government minister told The i Paper: “I think it’s about time we stood up to Musk. He’s not president. He doesn’t make the decisions. He’s got no hold over the UK. His words are causing serious harm.”
They added that the “amount of misinformation from Musk is staggering” and pointed out that Rotherham and Telford both held their own local inquiries into grooming gangs under the last government. “The decision was made years ago that this was best dealt with at a local level,” they continued.
A backbench Labour MP also praised Phillips as a “brilliant advocate” for victims of abuse, adding that she “doesn’t deserve” the level of backlash she has received. Labour grandee Harriet Harman branded Musk a “global bully” and suggested that other parties should condemn his comments... (MORE - details)
As the issue has returned to national salience, many who have hitherto shown zero interest in condemning child sexual abuse have put themselves at the forefront of the debate. X owner Elon Musk has lobbied for the release of activist Tommy Robinson, who has erroneously been credited for uncovering the scandal. In fact, Musk’s hero, far from breaking the rape gangs story, almost scuppered the 2018 trial of several men who had carried out horrific acts of sexual violence on a number of girls... (MORE - details)
How the grooming gangs scandal was covered up (intro): Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips’ decision to block a public inquiry into the Oldham grooming gangs seems, from the outside, to be almost inexplicable. Children were raped and abused by gangs of men, while the authorities failed to protect them.
A review of the abuse in Oldham was released in 2022, but its terms of reference only stretched from 2011-2014. Survivors from the town said that they wanted a government-led inquiry to cover a longer period, and catch what the previous review had missed. In Jess Phillips’s letter to the council, revealed by GB News, she said she understood the strength of feeling in the town, but thought it best for another local review to take place.
This is a scandal that should be rooted out entirely, and investigated by the full might of the British state. Voices ranging from Elon Musk to Kemi Badenoch have joined the calls for an inquiry. Yet the Government seems curiously reluctant to dig into the failings of officials... (MORE - details)
Senior Labour figures put pressure on Starmer over Musk attacks on Jess Phillips
https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/senior...TO=newsnow
EXCERPTS: Musk has frequently used X, the social media platform which he has owned since 2022, to criticise the UK Government in recent months. Over the past week, he has focused his criticisms on Labour’s failure to launch an inquiry into grooming gangs, as well as calling for far-right figure Tommy Robinson to be released from prison.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court. He was found guilty of breaching a court order after screening a documentary that included false claims about a Syrian refugee schoolboy.
Musk shared the same documentary, describing it as “worth watching” and supporting calls to “free Tommy Robinson”. Musk has also suggested that Starmer failed to prosecute grooming gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions.
[...] Senior Labour figures have urged Sir Keir Starmer to speak up against Elon Musk following his attacks on minister Jess Phillips. It is understood Starmer will answer their plea on Monday and use a major press conference about his NHS plans to defend his record on tackling grooming gangs.
The Prime Minister is expected to point out that he gave the green light to prosecute paedophile gangs in Rochdale in 2013 and that he launched reforms into how the Crown Prosecution Service handles child abuse cases.
Tech billionaire Musk has heavily criticised the UK Government in recent days after it was revealed that Phillips formally denied requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming in Oldham.
Musk posted on X that Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for the decision and branded her a “rape genocide apologist”, alongside numerous posts criticising Starmer for failing to launch an inquiry.
Phillips has received significant abuse on X in the days following the post, which has led many in the Labour Party to urge Starmer to speak out against Musk for his criticisms of the UK.
One Government minister told The i Paper: “I think it’s about time we stood up to Musk. He’s not president. He doesn’t make the decisions. He’s got no hold over the UK. His words are causing serious harm.”
They added that the “amount of misinformation from Musk is staggering” and pointed out that Rotherham and Telford both held their own local inquiries into grooming gangs under the last government. “The decision was made years ago that this was best dealt with at a local level,” they continued.
A backbench Labour MP also praised Phillips as a “brilliant advocate” for victims of abuse, adding that she “doesn’t deserve” the level of backlash she has received. Labour grandee Harriet Harman branded Musk a “global bully” and suggested that other parties should condemn his comments... (MORE - details)