LONDON — The British government announced on Thursday its commitment to support numerous local investigations into organized child sexual abuse cases, responding to increased scrutiny intensified by remarks from billionaire Elon Musk.
In a statement delivered to Parliament, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper explained that the government is also initiating what she termed a “rapid audit” to assess the extent and nature of gang-related exploitation throughout the nation, with plans to provide recommendations based on the findings.
The controversy surrounding “grooming gangs,” referred to as “rape gangs” by some, has climbed the political agenda in the United Kingdom following Musk’s comments on his X platform, where he criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not endorsing a national investigation into the matter.
Musk’s critique targeted Starmer for not supporting a national inquiry requested by local authorities in Oldham—a northern English town where a police investigation revealed that girls under 18 had been sexually exploited by groups of men during the 2000s and 2010s. He accused Starmer of negligence during his tenure as England’s chief prosecutor (2008-2013) in failing to bring the offenders to justice, an allegation the Prime Minister firmly refuted.
The cases in Oldham, along with similar incidents in other towns, predominantly involve white girls being victimized by men largely of Pakistani descent. This sensitive issue has provided ammunition for far-right activists, who link child sexual exploitation to immigration and claim that politicians have been hesitant to address these crimes for fear of being labeled as racist.
The government’s decision to support local inquiries in Oldham and four other regions marks a change in stance, especially since it had previously stated that no further investigations were necessary following earlier inquiries at both local and national levels.
Musk expressed hope via X that the recent government decision would lead to a thorough investigation. A previous inquiry lasting seven years occurred under the prior Conservative administration, yet many of the 20 recommendations issued in 2022—including compensation for victims—remain unfulfilled.
Cooper confirmed on Thursday that the government is determined to act on these recommendations promptly, noting, “much valuable time has already been lost” since the report was published, contributing to ongoing trauma for many victims and survivors.
To support these initiatives, the government will allocate £10 million ($12.5 million), with half of that sum designated for the local inquiries. Cooper emphasized the advantages of localized investigations, suggesting they can uncover more specific information and yield effective solutions compared to broader national inquiries.
Conversely, the main opposition party, the Conservatives, criticized Cooper’s measures as inadequate, highlighting that approximately 50 areas have experienced issues with grooming gangs. They also expressed concern that local inquiries may lack the authority to compel witness testimonies, a power that could have been exercised in a national inquiry.