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Elon Musk responds to criticism with lurid and baseless new claim about Sir Keir Starmer
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Elon Musk’s father has urged the public to “ignore” his son in response to a growing row over grooming gangs.
The billionaire’s father, Errol Musk, told LBC that “people don’t have to listen to what he says”.
“I’d say don’t worry about it. Tell him to get lost,” he added.
The Tesla owner launched a series of baseless attacks on Sir Keir over grooming gangs, while also calling for the release of jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson – a development which saw him turn on Reform leader Nigel Farage on Sunday, claiming he “does not have what it takes” to lead the party.
In a major speech on NHS reform, Sir Keir Starmer said on Monday: “Those that are 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.”
But Mr Musk retorted with a fresh flurry of lurid claims that Sir Keir – who oversaw the first major prosecution of an Asian grooming gang while director of public prosecutions – “was deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes”.
The Conservatives will attempt to amend the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to require a full national inquiry into grooming gangs, Kemi Badenoch has said.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ms Badenoch said: “I was serious when I said it’s time to get justice for victims. So on Wednesday, Conservatives will put forward an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing Bill to require a full national inquiry into the rape gangs grooming scandal.
“If the amendment is selected, I hope MPs from all parties will vote to support the inquiry, so we can do right by the victims and end the culture of cover ups.”
The UK has not had any discussions with the incoming Trump administration over the crumbling Chagos Islands deal, the defence secretary has admitted, amid growing concerns over the future of the agreement.
While the outgoing Joe Biden administration supported the deal, Donald Trump’s team is looking for a way to veto it as a result of concerns over possible Chinese interference.
The Chagos Islands, part of the British Indian Ocean Territory, are seen as strategically important in southeast Asia as America uses the joint UK-US base on Diego Garcia for ships and long-range bombers.
Asked to outline exactly what discussions have been had between ministers and the incoming Trump administration on the future of the Diego Garcia base, John Healey admitted that no talks have yet taken place.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Donald Trump’s team is looking for a way to veto the deal as a result of concerns over possible Chinese interference
Elon Musk’s spat with Nigel Farage could harm his political influence in the UK, a pollster has suggested.
“Even with his considerable reach and closeness to President-elect Trump, Musk might find himself less able to influence mainstream political views after the falling out with Farage,” Scarlett Maguire of JL Partners told Bloomberg.
Senior politicians in Labour, the Tories and Reform have privately urged allies of Donald Trump that the US president-elect should rethink his relationship with Elon Musk in the wake of the latter’s flurry of wild claims on social media, Bloomberg reports.
A source described as well-connected on both sides of the Atlantic told the outlet: “I can’t see Elon’s relationship with President Trump lasting very long after this fiasco. It’s definitely a warning of things to come.
“This episode has definitely set off alarm bells with people close to Trump.”
However, Trump-Vance Transition spokesperson Brian Hughes told Bloomberg that the two men were “great friends” and called the billionaire “a once in a generation business leader” whose ideas would benefit the incoming US administration.
Defending the prime minister amid Elon Musk’s lurid claims, Labour MP Preet Kaur Gill said: “As an ex-children’s services manager, I’ve seen the impact that the changes [Keir Starmer] made during his time [as director of public prosecutions].
“This government will get on with the job of protecting victims, including of child sexual abuse, and mandatory reporting.”
Tory MP James Cleverly has criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s criticism of politicians “calling for inquiries because they want to jump on a bandwagon of the far-right” in relation to Elon Musk’s grooming gangs claims.
The former Tory leadership hopeful said: “When will Starmer and Labour learn? Accusing those who disagrees with him, or who seeks legitimate answers about repeated failures of child protection, as ‘far right’ is deeply insulting and counterproductive.
“He is the best recruiting sergeant for extremism.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government will make it “an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse”.
She told MPs: “I can announce action on three key recommendations. First, I can confirm we will make it mandatory to report abuse, and we will put the measures in the Crime and Policing Bill that will be put before Parliament this spring, making it an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse.
“The protection of institutions must never be put before the protection of children. This measure is something I first called for in response to the reports and failings in Rotherham 10 years ago. It’s something that the Prime Minister first called for 12 years ago based on his experience as director of public prosecutions, and the case was clear then, but we have lost a decade, and we need to get on with it now.
“Second, we will also legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, because the punishment must fit the terrible crime.
“Third, we will overhaul the information and evidence that is gathered on child sexual abuse and exploitation and embedded in a clear new performance framework for policing so these crimes are taken far more seriously.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government will make it “an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse”.
She told MPs: “I can announce action on three key recommendations. First, I can confirm we will make it mandatory to report abuse, and we will put the measures in the Crime and Policing Bill that will be put before Parliament this spring, making it an offence with professional and criminal sanctions to fail to report or cover up child sexual abuse.
“The protection of institutions must never be put before the protection of children. This measure is something I first called for in response to the reports and failings in Rotherham 10 years ago. It’s something that the Prime Minister first called for 12 years ago based on his experience as director of public prosecutions, and the case was clear then, but we have lost a decade, and we need to get on with it now.
“Second, we will also legislate to make grooming an aggravating factor in the sentencing of child sexual offences, because the punishment must fit the terrible crime.
“Third, we will overhaul the information and evidence that is gathered on child sexual abuse and exploitation and embedded in a clear new performance framework for policing so these crimes are taken far more seriously.”
Rebuilding the NHS is the cornerstone of rebuilding Britain, the prime minister said, as he pledged to fight for the health service “day and night”.
Giving a speech at a hospital in Surrey on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer unveiled more detail about his plans for slashing NHS waiting lists, with the aim of slashing the number of people waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment in England by nearly half a million over the next year.
Speaking with rolled up sleeves in front of a raft of frontline NHS workers and health secretary Wes Streeting, the prime minister promised to reform the health service from “top to bottom”.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke reports from Surrey:
Speaking with rolled up sleeves in front of a raft of NHS workers, the PM unveiled more detail about his plans for slashing waiting lists plaguing the health service
A More In Common poll, conducted for LBC, has found that a quarter of Labour voters regret backing Sir Keir Starmer in July’s general election, when Labour won a landslide Commons majority.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
Three of the prime minister’s most controversial decisions since taking office are seen as more toxic than the scandal of lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street during lockdowns, according to a new poll
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