Elon Musk has started a political storm by linking UK child grooming scandals to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s past as Director of Public Prosecutions. Sara Rowbotham, a former health worker whose efforts led to the conviction of nine men in the Rochdale pedophile ring, accused Musk of politicizing the issue for his agenda.
Rowbotham, portrayed by Maxine Peake in the acclaimed BBC drama criticized Musk’s recent social media activity, saying it detracted from the victims’ plight.
“What is [Musk’s] motivation for interfering? It seems very political. The person he is trying to go after is Keir Starmer — it is a political swipe that is nothing to do with the women and girls who have been abused time after time.”
Sara Rowbotham
Over the past 24 hours, Musk has posted or reposted more than 40 times on X (formerly Twitter) about child grooming in the UK. His posts include comments from politicians like Reform UK’s Rupert Lowe and Conservative MP Robert Jenrick, as well as content from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who was recently jailed for contempt of court.
Musk escalated his critique on Friday by suggesting that King Charles should dissolve Parliament and call a general election. He shared an X post asking whether such a move was necessary for the “sake and security” of the UK, commenting simply: “Yes.”
The Tesla CEO’s remarks followed Labour’s decision to reject calls for a national inquiry into child grooming, arguing that local councils should commission investigations instead. Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, previously urged Oldham to follow towns like Rotherham and Telford in conducting their own inquiries into historical child sexual abuse.
The UK has already undertaken several investigations into grooming scandals, including a national inquiry led by Prof. Alexis Jay, which concluded in 2022, and reviews of Greater Manchester Police’s handling of cases in Manchester, Oldham, and Rochdale.
Victims’ Advocates Question Musk’s Motives
Rowbotham and other key figures in the Rochdale investigation questioned Musk’s sudden involvement in UK politics. The father of Girl A, a central witness in the Rochdale case, described Musk’s intervention as “strange.”
“It is strange that the richest man in the world has got time to start getting involved in UK politics,” he said.
Girl A, who was groomed and abused by at least 50 men from the age of 12, exposed the pedophile ring after smashing up a restaurant at 14. During her police interview, she detailed how she and other victims were plied with drugs and alcohol, then raped and trafficked across towns and cities.
Rowbotham dismissed Musk’s suggestion of a new public inquiry but stressed the need for a deeper understanding of the motivations behind grooming gangs, often led by Asian men. “We need to discover the motivations, not just sexual, behind this abuse if we are going to prevent it from happening again and again,” she said.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, also weighed in on Musk’s remarks, describing them as “misjudged and certainly misinformed.” He acknowledged the potential for Musk’s platform to contribute to combating abuse but criticized the tone of his intervention.
“Some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made, I think are misjudged and certainly misinformed, but we’re willing to work with Elon Musk, who I think has got a big role to play with his social media platform to help us and other countries to tackle this serious issue.”
Wes Streeting
Musk’s controversial comments highlight ongoing tensions over how the UK addresses grooming scandals. While his calls for action have drawn attention to the issue, critics argue they overshadow the voices of survivors and divert focus from the systemic changes needed to protect vulnerable individuals.
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