Keir Starmer has fought back against Musk (Image: Getty)
Sir Keir Starmer has launched a fight back against Elon Musk's attacks over his record on past grooming gang cases.
Speaking in Surrey this morning the PM said child abuse was "utterly sickening" and that "for many, many years too many victims have been completely let down".
As he returns from Parliament’s Christmas recess, Starmer faced questions over Musk's criticisms and calls from Nigel Farage's Reform party.
Musk has accused Starmer of failing to bring "rape gangs" to justice during his time as director of public prosecutions (DPP) from 2008 to 2013 and calling him “complicit in the rape of Britain”.
For all the latest updates, follow our live blog below.
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8 hours ago11:06 Richard Ashmore
Starmer says
Asked by ITV's Robert Peston about Elon Musk's post saying he should go to jail, the PM responded Sir Keir Starmer said it was a "slippery slope" if truth no longer mattered in political debate.
He said: "It is something about the nature of our politics, because once we lose the anchor that truth matters - in the robust debate we must have - then we are on a very slippery slope.
"When politicians - and I mean politicians - who sat in government for many years are casual about honesty, decency, truth and the rule of law, calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far right, then that affects politics because a robust debate can only be based on the true facts.
"This is actually an important point about our politics, not what about what anybody may or may not say on Twitter."
8 hours ago10:55 Richard Ashmore
Starmer launches passionate defence of his record
Responding to a question from Sky's Beth Rigby on Elon Musk's attacks on his colleague Jess Phillips, Sir Keir appeared to come out fighting.
He said: "On the question of Elon Musk, look, I think most people are more interested in what's going to happen to the NHS, frankly, than what's happening on Twitter, but you asked me a really important question, that's been in the news for the last few days, I am going to, with permission answer it quite fully.
"Let me start with this, child sexual exploitation is utterly sickening and for many, many years too many victims have been completely let down, let down by perverse ideas about community relations or by the idea that institutions must be protected above all else, and they've not been listened to and they've not been heard.
"When I was Chief Prosecutor for five years I tackled that head on because I could see what was happening, that's why I had reopened cases that have been closed, that had supposedly finished, I brought the first major prosecution of an Asian grooming gang in the particular case that was in Rochdale, the first of its kind, for many that then followed that format.
"We changed, or I changed, the whole prosecution approach because I wanted to challenge, and did challenge, the myths and stereotypes that were stopping those victims being heard, so we changed the entire approach, not without criticism at the time, I might add, when I left office we had the highest number of child sex abuse cases being prosecuted on record.
"Now that record is not secret, it's there for everybody, for all of you to see, .... those that spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible are not interested in the 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 grooming case, a gang grooming case, these are people who are trying to get some kind of vicarious thrill from street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.
"And those attacking Jess Phillips, who I am proud to call a colleague, and a friend, are not protecting victims, Jess Phllips has done a thousands times more than they've even dreamt of doing when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse.
"Just as I took on the criminal justice system, I am prepared to call out this for what it is, we've seen this playbook many times, whipping up, intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.
"Jess Phillips does not need me or anybody else to speak on her behalf, but when the poison of the far right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, then in my book a line has been crossed.
"I enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have, but that's got to be based on facts and proof, not on lies, not on those who are so desperate for attention, that they are prepared to debase themselves and their country... what I won't tolerate is this discussion, debate, based on lies, without calling it out, what I won't tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon."
Sir Keir Starmer launched a defence today (Image: PA )
9 hours ago10:23 Richard Ashmore
Starmer responds to Musk X post
Replying to a question from the BBC at a press conference when asked about Elon Musk's X tweet, Sir Keir said: "I don't really have any comment on the particular comment that was made by Musk, thank you."
9 hours ago10:16 Richard Ashmore
Mayor says focus will be 'relentless' to tackle grooming and child abuse
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has said there is "a case for a relentless focus" to tackle grooming and child abuse.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "nobody has turned away" from the issue and there has been new major police investigations which have led to arrests, charges and convictions.
He said that "as a result, perpetrators have been removed from the street - so this is the work that we're doing, and our review is ongoing".
He added: "All I can say from here is, for us, we must complete the Greater Manchester review.
"The police investigations are ongoing. I wouldn't want anything to cut across those police investigations, but I wouldn't stand against a further national review if that was deemed necessary."
9 hours ago10:13 Richard Ashmore
Elon Musk publishes poll on X asking if Britain should be 'liberated' from Labour
Writing on X, the billionaire owner of the site, Elon Musk, wrote: "America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government."
He asked his 210.9million followers if they thought the answer should be 'yes', or 'no'.
At the time of writing, 67% of 320,000 votes, had responded yes.
America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government
\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 6, 2025
9 hours ago10:11 Richard Ashmore
PM talks about inheriting a 'broken NHS' from the Tories
Posting on X today, the Prime Minister wrote: "We inherited a broken NHS, with millions of people languishing on waiting lists. Their lives on hold.
"My government is delivering our Plan for Change. Our reforms to elective recovery will end backlogs and provide millions more appointments, making our NHS fit for the future."
9 hours ago10:09 Richard Ashmore
Former head of child abuse inquiry urges government to act
The former head of a national inquiry into child sexual abuse has warned against "politicising" the issue, as she urged the Government to act on the "full implementation" of reforms set out in her 2022 report.
Professor Alexis Jay distanced herself from calls in Westminster for a new independent review and said instead the introduction of measures which she recommended two years ago was "critical".
Labour is now under pressure to launch a fresh probe into child sexual abuse from Reform UK and the Conservatives. The latter refused a request for a public inquiry into events in Oldham while in government.
Prof Jay said: "Our mission is not to call for new inquiries but to advocate for the full implementation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse's recommendations. A child protection authority is critical to this process."
Campaign group Act on IICSA, which is chaired by Prof Jay, said in an accompanying statement: "We urge the Government to provide a clear timeline to deliver on these commitments.
"Politicising the issue of sexual violence fails to acknowledge its lifelong impact and hinders the implementation of vital and urgent overhaul to our systems required."
The Government said it was working "at pace" to deliver the reforms set out in the 2022 review, which found abuse was "endemic" across society in England and Wales.
It comes as the Prime Minister is expected to respond on Monday to Elon Musk's flurry of attacks on his record in tackling historical grooming gang cases as director of public prosecutions (DPP).
Sir Keir Starmer has so far resisted speaking about the slew of online posts by the tech billionaire, who is a close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, which included calling him "complicit in the rape of Britain".
9 hours ago10:06 Richard Ashmore
Starmer seen for first time since Elon Musk weekend X attacks
Sir Keir Starmer was touring a hospital today with Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The PM is still yet to respond directly to Mr Musk's barrage of attacks on the government over the weekend.
The PM is Epsom, Surrey, this morning (Image: PA )
Wes Streeting and Keir Starmer (Image: PA )
9 hours ago10:05 Richard Ashmore
Government is committed to implementing abuse report, health minister
Health minister Karin Smyth said the Government is committed to implementing the recommendations from Professor Alexis Jay's report on child sexual abuse.
Asked on ITV's Good Morning Britain whether there will be a new national inquiry into grooming gangs, she said: "We've had the Alexis Jay inquiry, which, as as you know, took seven years, cost millions of pounds, and those 20 recommendations that she made were not implemented by the last government.
"So our approach has been to take those recommendations... we are committed to implementing those and working across Government.
"It is difficult to make sure that that happens, but we have the great leadership and experience of both Keir Starmer making sure that happens, and my colleague, Jess Phillips, and others who've got direct experience of making sure that these evil perpetrators are brought to justice and that victims are supported.
"So we want to support those people to have their voices heard and to make sure that the lessons are learned and those recommendations are implemented."
She added: "I expect that the Prime Minister and others will be asked about that further.
"But it's a big report, seven years' worth of work. We need to get on with implementing those recommendations.
"Alexis Jay did such great work with victims to make sure their voices were heard in that report.
"They deserve that their voice is being heard, and they deserve those recommendations to be implemented, and that's the work that we're getting on with."
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9 hours ago10:02 Richard Ashmore
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