Labour has come under fire after refusing to hold a public inquiry into historic sexual abuse by grooming gangs in Oldham.

Anyone who isn't concerned about Musk's interference in British politics isn't listening. Farage, Musk, Bannon et al do not have your interests at heart, don't kid yourselves, a man who supports Andrew Tate (alleged rapist, trafficker, abuser) and Yaxley Lennon (multiple convictions for assault, contempt of court, deprivation of assets, libel, etc., etc) has no moral compass. I am frankly, disgusted at those in here who welcome this loathsome man's interference in UK politics, his blatant support for the AltRight in Germany and his ill informed comments about Keir Starmer , what's the matter with you?

cardan2

Why are some people more concerned about Elon Musk interfering in British life than the horrendous abuse of children.?

I don’t think for even a nano-second that even one GNs is MORE concerned about Musk and his comments than these vulnerable girls and despicable gangs.

However, it is possible to be concerned about a powerful rich influencer from overseas using such awful events to gain an audience or stir up unease.

Yes dickens I reported on it on the previous page and it did include grooming gangs

Quote

"What was the point of spending over £143,505,910 on the 2022 Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse (which included organised networks) if we ignore its findings and ask for more "inquiries".

(It was followed up by setting up some police units to deal specifically with grooming gangs 2023 onwards, probably more needed).

Since Musk has made no comment on grooming gangs in the USA (checked upthread) it is political - how does he even know? - it was no accident he "happened" to comment on it at the same time GB news and the Telegraph picked up this issue although there is no current trigger going on.

J52

“Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said a full national inquiry into rape gangs was “long overdue”. “

so why didn’t her Government do something about it?

Elon Musk should keep his opinions to himself and concentrate on the safety of his cars.

Absolutely, the Tories had 14 long years to do this and so have Oldham Council.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of this, or the previous govt., Elon Musk is a very dangerous individual and needs to stop making comments about the UK and stick to supporting Trump.

God only knows how much worse he will be when Trump is firmly holding the reins.

MissAdventure

It's the fact that Musk has been elevated to some sort of example of moral decency that people are commenting on.
As if Musk saying something lends weight to it.

The real issue is the grooming and rapes of children in this country.

👏👏👏

I really could not have said it more succinctly.

Helenlouise3

Musk needs to keep his nose out and as for Badenoch, why on earth didn't the Tories do something about it during their 14 years in power. People and glass houses springs to mind.

I'm not a fan of recent Tory government, but didn't the Home Secretary establish an Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in 2015 during either the Cameron-Clegg / or Cameron Ministry -

- which I think has been mentioned upthread somewhere?

I think this Inquiry looked at a whole range of abuse - residential schools / religious organisations / organised networks, etc...

These grooming gangs dominance in varying parts of the country are a disgrace, the men despicable and have been able to carry out their abuse unhindered for far too long due to the people who could have dealt with it being afraid of being thought racist ! It’s been awful for so many girls who were trapped in this abuse whilst the females in these abusive mens lives were indoors or overseas.
Abuse is still happening with groups of men prowling, seeing a lone girl in the street, surrounding her sexually abusing the trapped female then just walking away knowing there is little chance of them being caught and identified. I heard one girl on the radio the other day saying that she and her friends have restricted their outings even in daylight due to things they have heard happening locally to them. What a very sad situation that people cannot always feel safe in their own location.

It's the fact that Musk has been elevated to some sort of example of moral decency that people are commenting on.
As if Musk saying something lends weight to it.

The real issue is the grooming and rapes of children in this country.

Nannee49

Excellent post as always dickens

Definitely 👏👏👏

Musk needs to keep his nose out and as for Badenoch, why on earth didn't the Tories do something about it during their 14 years in power. People and glass houses springs to mind.

cardan2

Why are some people more concerned about Elon Musk interfering in British life than the horrendous abuse of children.?

Nobody is any way minimizing the abuse. Absolutely nobody.

What I object to is the use of it to score political points. I object to Musk. What little I know tells me he is everything I despise in another human being.

Do you think for one second he" cares" about those girls?

Poor little waifs, unloved, unwanted, vulnerable. Made to feel special by monsters.

Nannee49

Excellent post as always dickens

This. You do have a gift for putting things clearly and succinctly!

Again if you focus on Musk in this conversation I have no idea what to say.

Why are some people more concerned about Elon Musk interfering in British life than the horrendous abuse of children.?

Well put. 👏👏

Witzend

Whatever the rights and wrongs, I firmly believe that Elon Musk should keep his nose out of our affairs!

Well said!

Excellent post as always dickens

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Dickens

Yes Dickens yes , thank you

If there is a predominance of sexual predatory behaviour within any organisation or culture, then we should be able to talk about it without being accused of any 'isms' or prejudice, if the motivation for the debate is a genuine concern for children and young people - girls, and boys. Apart from their own parents, we are also their protectors, as a society, in the same way that we are the protectors of the elderly, sick, disabled, and other vulnerable individuals.

Acknowledging the abuse within the Catholic church establishment does not mean that every Catholic is an abuser. Recognising a culture of abuse committed by a cohort of Pakistani men does not mean that every man from Pakistan is a rapist.

There are 'white' so-called grooming gangs, there are instances of sexual and physical abuse within our 'care' institutions. The connection between all of them is, primarily, men.

But not all men, whatever their origins, or wherever they work or abide, are sexual predators. So we need to look at what circumstance / culture / thought-process leads to this depravity.

If the debate is solely for the purpose of political point-scoring, then I'm personally not interested. Most of us on here are either Right, Left or Centre, and when it comes down to the parties that represent us, I don't believe that the average MP or party leader, whether it be Tory, Labour or Reform, does not condemn sexual abuse of young people.

How they do, or might propose, to deal with it is another matter, and that's what we should discuss and, in doing so, might reveal their motivation.

As for Musk, I simply cannot believe that he is altruistically concerned about the young girls and women who were abused in Rochdale / Rotherham, etc. It is a scandal. Evidence of the abuse was first noted in the 90s.

So why now? Why not in 2010 when the first group conviction took place? Why not between 2010 and now?

I believe his interest is purely political. He has the right to an opinion, but I'm not interested in it because I really do think it's politically motivated.

... and that will do very little to get to the root of the problem.

Just a little research into Musk's tweets / re-posts / comments should tell you that he is no champion of women's rights. His comment to Taylor Swift was little more than a sophisticated assertion of misogynistic male dominance. And for that reason, I do not see him as an advocate for sexually-abused girls and young women.

(Yes Jeanathome there are, if you google on all aspects of it. its not straightforward as some experience aspects of Islamaphobia but OTOH are welcomed as offering what others cannot).

Yes Casdon and its worth looking at this grooming gang too:

The notorious massive Walsall gangs cases took 6 years to bring to justice from 2017 to 2023 and the offences had taken place over 10 years to 2017. Recall it?

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/apr/05/twenty-one-convicted-in-west-midlands-child-sexual-abuse-inquiry

It changed the way Walsall responded to child abuse of this sort.

What evidence have we got that Oldham and Rochdale have not now changed their practice after lessons learnt? There might be a case for an enquiry of lessons had new grooming occurred and not been tackled.

What was the point of spending over £143,505,910 on the 2022 Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse (which included organised networks) if we ignore its findings and ask for more "inquiries".

Iam64

FriedGreenTomatoes2

And this is a national, not a local issue. No local authority can be trusted to expose its own employees for their collaboration with the criminals in this case.

You simply can’t be suggesting that social workers tasked with jointly investigating child sexual exploitation would lose their moral compass for fear of upsetting the Muslim community in their area?
Many hard working sensible dedicated workers did all they could to protect children. To challenge management and senior police officers about the need for a dedicated team to do this difficult work.

I suppose there must be Muslim social workers? Just as there is a Muslim MP?

Remember this from the Home Office?
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/dec/analysis-new-home-office-report-admits-grooming-gangs-are-not-muslim-problem

J52

“Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said a full national inquiry into rape gangs was “long overdue”. “

so why didn’t her Government do something about it?

Elon Musk should keep his opinions to himself and concentrate on the safety of his cars.

Exactly this ^