KEIR STARMER on Monday criticised those "spreading lies and misinformation" online, following a series of attacks from Elon Musk over historical child rape crimes in northern England.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer said: "Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims, they’re interested in themselves."
Musk, the US tech billionaire, recently called for a new public inquiry into how cases involving grooming gangs were handled during Starmer’s tenure as director of public prosecutions.
The decades-spanning scandal involved the abuse of vulnerable girls in towns such as Rotherham, Rochdale, and Oldham, leading to convictions of dozens of men, mostly of South Asian Muslim origin.
Official reports criticised police and social workers for failing to act, with some accused of turning a blind eye to avoid being seen as racist.
Responding to questions about Musk’s posts, Starmer said: "I’m not going to individualise this to Elon Musk," but added: "A line has been crossed" by some of the criticism. "We’ve seen this playbook many times: the whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it," he said.
Starmer also condemned the "poison of the far-right," referencing threats made against safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. Musk had referred to Phillips on his platform X as a "rape genocide apologist."
"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," Starmer said.
He added: "I enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have, but that’s got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies."
Musk’s comments have reignited calls for a fresh inquiry into the grooming scandals.
Far-right figures, including imprisoned agitator Tommy Robinson, whom Musk has praised in the past, have long used the issue to amplify their agenda.
(With inputs from agencies)
