UK Health Minister Slams Elon Musk's Attack on Government Handling of Gang Rapes: 'Misjudged and Certainly Misinformed'

Elon Musk has sparked controversy in the UK by accusing the government and political figures of failing to adequately address gang rapes, prompting backlash from Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who labeled his comments "misjudged and certainly misinformed."

Musk's remarks center on historical failures to address child sexual exploitation by organized grooming gangs in the UK, an issue investigated in high-profile inquiries like the 2022 Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA).

Musk criticized Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions and called for national inquiries into unresolved cases, BBC reported.

Streeting has invited Musk to contribute constructively, leveraging his platform to tackle online exploitation, but condemned his claims as divisive and unhelpful.

"Some of the criticisms 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 tackle these serious issues. If he wants to work with us and roll his sleeves up, we'd welcome that," Streeting said.

Meanwhile, members of parliament (MP) from both Labour and Conservative parties have criticized Musk for spreading inaccuracies, with some highlighting his focus on UK politics as politically motivated.

Musk's remarks have fueled calls from some Conservative MPs and Reform UK for a renewed national inquiry, despite opposition from Labour and past Conservative-led governments citing the extensive findings of previous investigations.

Discussions on how best to combat grooming gangs and implement outstanding recommendations from the IICSA report remain ongoing.

Originally published by Latin Times