Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips<\/strong> has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk<\/strong> of spreading “disinformation” that endangers her safety. Musk, a key adviser to President-elect Donald Trump<\/strong>, labeled Phillips a \u201crape genocide apologist\u201d and called for her imprisonment on his social media platform X<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phillips confirmed that threats to her safety had increased since Musk\u2019s posts, describing the experience as \u201cvery, very, very tiring\u201d but noting, \u201cIt\u2019s nothing compared to what victims of abuse endure.\u201d She added, \u201cI\u2019m no stranger to people who don\u2019t know what they\u2019re talking about trying to silence women like me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The row stems from Phillips rejecting calls for a national public inquiry<\/strong> into child sexual exploitation<\/strong> cases involving grooming gangs, mainly of Pakistani descent. Phillips argued that local inquiries<\/strong> like the one in Telford<\/strong> are more effective for creating actionable change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat I saw happen in Telford is the exact opposite of what I\u2019ve seen from national inquiries. I saw change happen,\u201d she said, defending the model of locally-led independent investigations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Critics, including Conservative shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick<\/strong>, insist on a new national inquiry, citing growing evidence of grooming gangs in at least 50 towns<\/strong>. Jenrick said, \u201cThe cowardly officials and councillors who have covered this up can also be brought to justice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Conservatives<\/strong> have proposed an amendment to the Children\u2019s Wellbeing and Schools Bill<\/strong> to establish a statutory national inquiry. However, with Labour\u2019s House of Commons majority<\/strong>, the amendment is unlikely to pass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prime Minister Keir Starmer<\/strong> criticized the Conservative tactic, arguing it risks undermining critical child safeguarding measures in the bill. \u201cIt\u2019s shocking they are even thinking about this as a tactic,\u201d Starmer told The Mirror<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nControversy Over Grooming Gangs Inquiry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Calls for a National Inquiry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Debate Over Effectiveness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n