By Kate Holton
LONDON (Reuters) – A baby sexual abuse scandal that exposed how gangs of largely Pakistani males had groomed, trafficked and raped younger white ladies greater than a decade in the past, has returned to the political agenda in Britain following criticism from Elon Musk.
Musk, a detailed ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has referred to as for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stop over what he mentioned was Starmer’s failure to sort out the scandal when he was the nation’s main prosecutor, accusing him of being “complicit within the rape of Britain”.
Starmer has defended his file as head of the Crown Prosecution Service, saying he tackled the gangs head on.
Under is what is thought in regards to the organised sexual abuse of younger ladies in a number of cities and cities in northern England, Starmer’s position in prosecuting the scandal, and the impression it’s having on British politics.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE UK GROOMING GANGS SCANDAL?
A report in 2014 made a conservative estimate that greater than 1,400 ladies have been sexually exploited within the city of Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Many have been already recognized to native providers as a result of they have been in care or had been topic to neglect.
It mentioned ladies as younger as 11 have been raped by giant numbers of male perpetrators. It mentioned native officers deemed the kids to be having consensual sexual activity.
The report mentioned the vast majority of recognized perpetrators have been of Pakistani heritage and that in some instances native officers and different companies had been cautious of figuring out ethnic origins for concern of upsetting group cohesion, or being seen as racist.
An investigation into related instances in Oldham criticised police and the native council however mentioned they’d not found a canopy up.
WHAT WAS KEIR STARMER’S ROLE?
Starmer was the director of public prosecutions between 2008 and 2013.
Starmer mentioned on Monday that he had tackled the problem head on, introduced the primary main prosecution of a gang accused of grooming and rape, and had the best variety of youngster sexual abuse instances being prosecuted when he left the position.
WHY IS THE SCANDAL BACK IN THE HEADLINES?
Opposition politicians together with Conservative chief Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, head of the right-wing Reform Occasion, have referred to as for a nationwide inquiry after media reviews mentioned the federal government had informed Oldham council it ought to maintain its personal investigation.
Britain has held quite a few investigations into youngster abuse scandals in numerous areas of northern England. A broader nationwide public inquiry into youngster sexual abuse, together with inside church buildings and faculties, reported in 2022, making plenty of suggestions which haven’t but been applied.
Starmer’s authorities, elected in July, mentioned on Monday it was working at tempo to implement the suggestions.
Musk has amplified the problem. He accused Britain’s safeguarding minister Jess Phillips of being a “rape genocide apologist” who must be in jail. He additionally mentioned Starmer should stop and accused him of failing to prosecute when he ran the Crown Prosecution Service.
Professor Alexis Jay, who led an inquiry into crimes in Rotherham, and the nationwide abuse inquiry, mentioned a brand new inquiry was not wanted and the federal government ought to work to implement her earlier suggestions.
HOW IS THE SCANDAL, AND MUSK, AFFECTING BRITISH POLITICS?
Musk’s near-constant criticism of Starmer and his Labour authorities has hindered the prime minister as he tries to set the agenda within the new yr, following a tough first six months in energy.
A speech on efforts to overtake the well being service on Monday was overshadowed by questions on Musk, with Starmer defending his file and attacking those that unfold misinformation on-line.
Starmer has avoided commenting on Musk’s more and more vital feedback of his premiership, not wanting to interact in a public slanging match with somebody who might affect Trump’s pondering on ties with Britain.
Starmer is just not the one British politician in Musk’s sights. He had appeared near the Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage final yr, earlier than he mentioned on Sunday that Farage ought to stop as a result of he doesn’t have what it takes to steer Reform.
The 2 males had appeared to disagree over British anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who is thought by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, with Farage saying he disagreed with Musk’s backing for Robinson.
Robinson is serving a jail sentence for contempt of court docket.
