The Health Secretary Wes Streeting has called Elon Musk’s comments on their handling of grooming gangs “misjudged and certainly misinformed”.
The Tesla boss has taken to his social media platform X to claim that Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute gangs that groomed and raped young girls. The tech billionaire also called for the safeguarding minister Jess Phillips to be jailed.
Mr Streeting has now invited Mr Musk to “roll up his sleeves and work with us” against the rape gangs.
The Health Secretary visited a care home in Carlisle on Friday, where he was asked about Mr Musk’s comments. He said: “This government takes the issue of child sexual exploitation incredibly seriously”.
Speaking to the press, the BBC reports Mr Streeting said: “Some of the criticisms Elon Musk has made, I think, are misjudged and certainly misinformed.
“But we’re willing to work with Elon Musk who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries tackle these serious issues.
“If he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we’d welcome that.”
The Tesla boss posted on X claiming that “rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice” during Sir Keir’s time as Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Musk also claimed that safeguarding minister Jess Phillips “deserves to be in prison” after she denied requests from Oldham Council for a Home Office-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester town.
He said: “In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service’s approval for the police to charge suspects.
“Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013.
“Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Starmer. The real reason she’s refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Stamer (head of the CPS at the time).”
In a letter to the local authority, Ms Phillips said she believes it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene”.