World
January 4, 2025 17:42
united kingdom - Elon Musk has waded into a British political storm, criticizing the Starmer government for refusing a new investigation into child abuse networks. Read more on telegraaf.nl
Gangs, mainly consisting of Pakistani men, were able to operate in the United Kingdom seemingly unchecked since the late 1980s. They recruited thousands of young girls, some as young as ten years old, abused them, and exploited them through prostitution.
The police hesitated to intervene for years. When investigations did occur, the blame was often pointed towards the young girls, accusing them of bringing it upon themselves. Police were reluctant to dig deeper, fearing accusations of racism.
Operating throughout the country, in cities like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford, where the scandal is most notorious, it was revealed that over a thousand girls and dozens of boys had been abused in each city. It was not until around 2012, during Starmer's tenure at the public prosecution office, that serious action was taken.
However, Starmer has faced a lot of criticism as well. During his time leading the Public Prosecution from 2008-2013, an investigation into the group rape of a twelve-year-old girl in Rotherham was halted. The hired lawyer deemed the girl 'unreliable'.
Over the years, numerous investigations have been initiated and concluded. In 2014, the magnitude of the scandal was finally exposed, yet the comprehensive investigation did not come until 2022. The extensive report had various recommendations, from stricter penalties to focusing more on adoption, but according to critics, these solutions have not been implemented.
The overly politically correct stance of the police has been a sore point for many British citizens. This was evident in the riots that erupted last summer after a man stabbed several girls during a ballet class in Southport, a seaside town above Liverpool. Initial reports suggested the man was an immigrant, reigniting focus on the lenient approach of the British police towards child grooming gangs.
In late October, right-wing activist Tommy Robinson was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for defying court orders to stop accusing a specific immigrant of crimes. Robinson gained fame for his early and firm condemnation of child grooming gangs.
He was among the first to highlight the double standards of the British police, cracking down on 'right-wing extremists' while letting criminal immigrants roam freely. Therefore, Musk recently tweeted for Robinson's release and suggested that Jess Phillips, the Secretary of State for Social Affairs rejecting a new investigation into the behavior of the Public Prosecution, should be thrown in jail instead.
The investigation Phillips is reluctant to initiate is focused on Oldham, a suburb of Manchester. While Phillips is open to local investigations, she believes there is no need for a new national inquiry, citing a similar rejection by the Conservative government in late 2023 of a similar request from the Oldham city council.
The current Conservative opposition appears to have forgotten this fact. Party leader Kemi Badenoch supports Musk's call for an investigation, hoping it will uncover new incriminating evidence of Starmer's actions while leading the Public Prosecution.
It seems a new political game is unfolding. Nigel Farage, with his Reform Party regularly making headlines and considered by many as the official opposition, immediately questioned why the Conservatives, during their time in power, did not instigate an inquiry.
Ultimately, this is about shame. As a society, the UK ignored the prolonged abuse of vulnerable young girls. The extent of the scandal and the resulting shame are evident. Politically, it is convenient to place blame on the ruling government for this issue.
Labour had long accused the Conservatives of not responding adequately, and now the Labour government is facing the same accusations, not only from the Conservatives but also from Elon Musk, the American billionaire with close ties to the incoming President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the Reform leader Nigel Farage. This reopens the wound of the child grooming scandal.