Jess Phillips faced ‘deluge of hate’ after Elon Musk grooming gangs comments

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips says she faced a “deluge of hate” after tech billionaire Elon Musk used his X social media platform to accuse her of being a “rape genocide apologist”. Mr Musk’s comments, aimed at Ms Phillips and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, followed Labour’s decision to decline a Whitehall-led inquiry into child sexual abuse in Oldham. The Government’s draft child protection legislation cleared its first Commons hurdle on Wednesday following a bitter Prime Minister’s Questions in which Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said failing to back a probe would fuel concerns about a “cover-up”. In response to Labour’s opposition to calls for a national inquiry, Mr Musk called Sir Keir “Starmtrooper” and accused him of trying to cover up “terrible things”, and later said the rejection of the amendment was “unbelievable.” Following the vote, a Labour spokesperson said: “The Conservatives attempted to block this Government’s plans to keep the most vulnerable children in our country safe from harm, after spending years failing to implement Professor Jay’s recommendations.” On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government would begin to implement Prof Jay’s call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, with further details expected to be set out in the coming weeks.