Elon Musk calls for Nigel Farage to be replaced as Reform UK leader

Since his assembly with Farage, Musk has more and more taken an curiosity in UK politics – specializing in criticism of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Musk has spent the week amplifying calls by Reform UK and the Conservative Occasion for a nationwide inquiry into grooming gangs.

The calls got here after the federal government turned down a request to conduct an inquiry into historic circumstances of sexual abuse in Oldham, saying the council ought to lead it as a substitute.

This prompted Musk to accuse Sir Keir of failing to correctly prosecute “rape gangs” whereas he was director of public prosecutions.

Musk additionally stated Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips “deserves to be in jail” and known as her a “rape genocide apologist”.

Requested about Musk’s feedback on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Farage stated the CEO had used “very powerful phrases, however that “free speech was again” on X underneath his possession.

In 2022, an unbiased inquiry by Higher Manchester Mixed Authority discovered that weak youngsters had been left uncovered to sexual exploitation in Oldham due to “critical failings” by the police and council.

The federal government has rejected the requires a nationwide inquiry, as a substitute asking Oldham Council to arrange its personal. The earlier Conservative authorities turned down an analogous request in 2022.

Phillips and Dwelling Secretary Yvette Cooper stated in a letter to the Conservatives that the native authority had already began establishing an inquiry.

The letter additionally pointed to the 2022 Youngster Sexual Abuse Inquiry, which investigated abuse in care properties, church buildings, properties or by grooming gangs.

The report knitted a number of earlier inquiries into grooming gangs collectively, together with in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford, alongside its personal investigations.

Talking on Sunday, Well being Secretary Wes Streeting stated the federal government was prioritising “getting on with” implementing the report’s 20 suggestions to fight baby sexual abuse.

He informed the BBC that Musk’s criticism of Phillips was a “disgraceful smear” and stated “folks like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have carried out the onerous yards of truly locking up spouse beaters, rapists and paedophiles”.