Elon Musk weighs in as Labour rejects Oldham’s call for child abuse inquiry
Labour has rejected Oldham council's request for a government inquiry into historic child abuse cases, despite a local review finding evidence of failures in protecting vulnerable children. The Home Office stated any inquiry should be organised locally. Oldham council has pledged to prioritise survivors' voices. The decision has drawn criticism from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Elon Musk, who accused Labour leader Keir Starmer of inaction during his tenure as director of public prosecutions.
Labour Rejects Oldham Council’s Plea for Historic Child Abuse Inquiry
The Home Office has formally rejected Oldham Council’s request for a government-led public inquiry into historic child sexual exploitation, leaving the local authority to pursue its own investigation into failures that left vulnerable children exposed.
Councilors voted unanimously in July to demand a Home Office inquiry following a 2019 Greater Manchester Combined Authority review that found the council had failed vulnerable children despite efforts to protect them. The review, commissioned by former council leader Sean Fielding and the chair of Oldham Safeguarding Partnership, specifically noted there was “no evidence” of a council cover-up.
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips informed the council that any inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham should be organized locally rather than through national government channels. The rejection has prompted the council to reaffirm its commitment to survivors, with a spokesperson declaring: “Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.”
The council had preemptively prepared for this refusal, with July’s motion authorizing town hall officials to commission an independent inquiry if Westminster declined involvement. The motion emphasized that “any inquiry should provide a voice for those affected by child sexual exploitation in Oldham and provide the very best support and protection to those who wish to come forward with their testimony.”
The decision has ignited political controversy, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch demanding a national inquiry into what she termed the UK’s “rape gangs scandal” on social media platform X. US billionaire Elon Musk joined the criticism, accusing Labour leader Keir Starmer of inadequate action during his tenure as director of public prosecutions, suggesting the inquiry refusal stems from fears it would implicate Starmer’s past leadership of the Crown Prosecution Service.
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