Keir Starmer slams Elon Musk and others who spread ‘lies and misinformation’ in hard-hitting speech

British prime minister Keir Starmer has hit back at Elon Musk and others who spread “lies and misinformation” after the billionaire accused the Labour leader of being “complicit” in the crimes of grooming gangs.

In recent days, Elon Musk has taken to X – the platform he owns – to share dozens of posts attacking Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips in regards to the government’s response to historic cases of child sexual exploitation gangs of mainly south Asian heritage in the north of England, a scandal which came to light in the early 2010s under the former Conservative government.

Elon Musk has been particularly critical of Keir Starmer for his record as director of public prosecutions, a position he held between 2008 and 2013.

In his series of posts, the tech tycoon – who recently backed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party – also wrote that Nigel Farage “does not have what it takes” to lead the right-wing Reform party and anti-Islam, and that far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was jailed for 18 months for contempt of court in October 2024 over false allegations against a refugee in violation of an injunction, should be released from prison.

At a press conference in Epsom, Surrey on Monday (6 January), where Starmer outlined the government’s plan to cut NHS England waiting lists for elective treatments, the PM responded to Musk’s attacks.

“On the question of Elon Musk … it is a really important set of issues. Child sexual exploitation is utterly sickening,” Starmer said.

“Those that are spreading lies and misinformation, as far and as wide as possible, are not interested in the victims.

“They’re interested in themselves. Those who are cheerleading Tommy Robinson are not interested in justice. They’re supporting a man who went to prison for nearly collapsing a grooming case, a gang grooming case.

“These are people who are trying to get some kind of vicarious thrill through street violence that people like Tommy Robinson promote.”

"Jess Phillips has done a thousand times more than they've even dreamt about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse."

Keir Starmer hits out at Elon Musk and the far-right for "spreading misinformation" on grooming gangs. pic.twitter.com/4uNBuGl169

— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) January 6, 2025

Starmer went on to defend Phillips, who Musk said “deserves to be in jail” and called a “wicked witch” and “rape genocide apologist” for rejecting a call from Oldham Council for a national inquiry into historic grooming in the town. Instead, Phillips instructed Oldham Council to launch its own local inquiry into the matter.

“I believe it is for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene,” she said.

Phillips’ decision, which came to light at the start of January, has widely been criticised by the Conservative opposition, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch saying “2025 must be the year that victims get justice”.

“A line has been crossed.”

“Those attacking Jess Phillips, who I am proud to call a colleague and a friend, are not protecting victims. Jess Phillips has done a thousand more than they’ve even dreamt about when it comes to protecting victims of sexual abuse throughout her entire career,” Starmer said.

The prime minister said he is “prepared to call out this for what it is”: “We’ve seen this playbook many times, whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.”

He continued: “When the poison of the far-right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, then in my book a line has been crossed.”

“I enjoy the thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have. But that’s got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies. Not on those who are so desperate for attention that they’re prepared to debase themselves and their country,” he added.

In his speech, Starmer also criticised the Conservatives for seeming to back Musk’s words, despite the fact the party was in power before and after the scandal came to light.

“Those who are so desperate for attention that they’re prepared to debase themselves and their country. So this government will get on with the job of protecting victims. Including, victims of sexual abuse,” he said.

“What I won’t tolerate is a debate based on lies and politicians jumping on the barn, one simply to get attention. When those politicians were in government for 14 long years.”

What has Elon Musk said about the UK government?

Musk’s attacks on the UK government have seen him fire off more than 60 posts in a handful of days, including saying there should be an immediate election. He also shared a poll to ask X users if “America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government.”

Taking aim at Starmer, Musk has called for him to be jailed and said the Labour leader is “complicit in the rape of Britain” and “deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes.”

In response to Starmer’s push back against Musk, where the PM described the firestorm as a “far-right bandwagon”, Musk further responded: “What an insane thing to say! The real reason is that it would show how Starmer repeatedly ignored the pleas of vast numbers of little girls and their parents, in order to secure political support. Starmer is utterly despicable.”

Alongside attacking the Labour government, Musk has also suggested Nigel Farage, who he has been increasingly aligning himself with, no longer has what it takes to run right-wing party Reform.

The U-turn seemingly comes after Musk called for the release of Tommy Robinson, describing him as a “political prisoner” – Farage disagreed, saying the controversial anti-Islam activist is “not what we need.”

“[Musk] sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinson’s in prison not for that, but for contempt of court,” Farage went on to comment to GB News.

“We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. [Robinson is] not what we need.”

“The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk wrote on X, proceeding to endorse Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe – one of Reform’s five members of parliament – as a replacement.

Musk said he has not met Lowe but “his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense”.

Taking to X himself, Farage responded: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree.

“My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.”

Their high-profile spat comes just days after Farage called the billionaire a “hero figure, especially for the youth.”