LONDON (AP) — A senior British politician has firmly pushed back against Elon Musk's recent criticism of the government's handling of historical child grooming scandals. Health Secretary Wes Streeting asserted that Musk’s views regarding the UK's approach to these serious allegations are "misjudged and certainly misinformed" (AP News).

In a series of posts on his platform X, Musk accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to prosecute what he termed "rape gangs" during his tenure as director of public prosecutions from 2008 to 2013. He also criticized Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, suggesting she “deserves to be in prison” for rejecting a national public inquiry into the grooming scandal centered in Oldham, England (Al Jazeera).

Streeting, speaking to ITV News, emphasized that the government is taking child sexual exploitation quite seriously and has shown support for an inquiry into the Oldham scandal, although he stressed that it should be conducted locally. He invited Musk to collaboratively address the ongoing crisis by stating, "If he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we’d welcome that."

The discussion around these scandals has intensified in the wake of a 2022 report detailing failings by local agencies in protecting children in Oldham between 2011 and 2014. The report concluded that there was no systemic cover-up, despite "legitimate concerns" about the potential for far-right groups to exploit high-profile convictions of predominantly Pakistani offenders.

Musk’s engagement with UK politics appears to have ramped up following the Labour Party's substantial electoral victory in July 2024, which ended a long period of Conservative rule. Musk has shown support for various controversial figures and movements, including retweeting the hashtag "TwoTierKeir," a reference to alleged disparities in police treatment of different protest groups. His comparisons of the UK's strategies to combat online misinformation to Soviet-era controls have also stirred reactions within the political landscape.

In addition to his criticisms, Musk has publicly called for a general election in the UK, asserting that the populace is dissatisfied with the current government, stating via X: "The people of Britain do not want this government at all. New elections."

Moreover, Musk has expressed support for Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, who is currently serving an 18-month sentence for contempt of court, linking his interests with controversial right-wing sentiments in British society.