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

It's not fine to tell lies though?

Why is it fine to criticise Jess Phillips in the aggressive way that has been reported when it is well known that she has worked well and hard for survivors. Galaxy I find your comments appalling.

I think it is disgraceful that Elon Musk is trying to interfere with UK politics. It is none of his business and he should mind his own business. It’s worrying he may have influence over Donald trump when he becomes the president officially.

Galaxy

It is fine to criticise Jess Phillips, I am afraid in my view there are many braver feminist campaigners than her. It is fine to disagree on the merits of Jess Phillips.

Your starting point is somewhat more radical than mine.

You find it appalling that I think other feminists have done more for womens rights than Jess Phillips. You are easily offended.

No I think that even though you feel that others may have done more Jess Phillips deserves your support for doing something.

Sonia Sodha and JK Rowling for example are doing a really good job of focusing on the issues.

Galaxy

You find it appalling that I think other feminists have done more for womens rights than Jess Phillips. You are easily offended.

As I assume nobody is playing Feminist Top Trumps (game not president elect), why can you not acknowledge the work that Jess Phillips has done, Galaxy?.

Jeanathome

It's not fine to tell lies though?

No it is not. I also see Jess Phillips as another woman brave enough to take a stand in support of other women. I’m not interested in a hierarchy of who we support

I don’t agree with every word Maggie Oliver says but I support her right to express her views and see her as a genuine fighter for women and girls - like Jess Phillips

Because I dont think she has the courage to be an effective feminist campaigner, she wasnt in any way brave around the gender issue, and it is very hard for me to understand that.

I am afraid you are not going to be able to make me say the words you want me to say. Again this is all so familiar.

Oh I think Jess Jess Phillips is perfectly entitled to express her views obviously.

this issue is demonstrating the danger of allowing a very. different culture to set up home here and by people who will not allow integration to our way of life to take place.
there is danger here.
i think people need to learn that what westerners, who believe in democracy, will be dealing with in the future.
i think migrants need to know that our laws and culture are dominant. that we will. not be taken backwaeds to treat girls and women in such medieval ways.

the men in grooming gangs should be deported.

I agree up to a point. Not all people from such different cultures behave as those ones. I do think that we have to take a much stronger line on integration and respecting our laws. Germany and Sweden have had to do this.

I have never been particularly impressed by Jess Phillips; I can understand that she is shaken by Musk's juvenile attack on her, but I thought her appearance on the front bench in Parliament, yesterday, mouthing at people across the Chamber while Yvette Cooper was defending her was inappropriate.

Many if the men who tortured and abused these children were born here, or have British citizenship so how can they be deported.
I heard a man of Pakistani heritage who is a Muslim on Nicky Campbell’s radio 5 phone in. The caller was furious that he feels people look at him with suspicion whenever ‘grooming gangs’ are being discussed. He talked at length about the positives in his faith, the value of girl children as something that paves the way to Paradise. He was outraged in the way Jenrick was but from the opposite extreme.
I’d welcome statements from women’s groups or mosques local to me expressing horror about these crimes.

With the greatest respect Iam64, his feelings arent my priority at this time. Again this sounds very much like but what about the men.

Galaxy

With the greatest respect Iam64, his feelings arent my priority at this time. Again this sounds very much like but what about the men.

That's sexist! Why shouldn't you care about all Muslim/Pakistani being labelled as sex abusers, just because of their ethnicity or religion? The vast majority are nothing of the sort.

pinkquartz

this issue is demonstrating the danger of allowing a very. different culture to set up home here and by people who will not allow integration to our way of life to take place.
there is danger here.
i think people need to learn that what westerners, who believe in democracy, will be dealing with in the future.
i think migrants need to know that our laws and culture are dominant. that we will. not be taken backwaeds to treat girls and women in such medieval ways.

the men in grooming gangs should be deported.

No! The vast majority aren't sex abusers. You're labelling everyone.

It's also racist because you're assuming that all immigrants come from countries where sex abuse is permissible. That's exactly what the police and some other agencies assumed.

The majority of men arent abusers, but it is important to talk about the risks posed by men to women and children and not skirt around that. We talk very freely about the issues of abuse within the catholic church, again this does not mean that all Catholics are abusers.

Galaxy - 50% of us (UK voters) are men. You can't dismiss them in any issue (I know this is about young girls abuse so you're tempted to say, nothing to do with men - but for centuries we were denied the vote because war, business, politics was "nothing to do with women") We need to listen to everyone & realise that the majority of men are not even potential abusers, be they Pakistani or any other ethnicity.
I do think action now on the last enquiry, which no-one has devalued (Elon Musk in all probability had no knowledge of it) is preferable to another national enquiry. A local enquiry to apportion responsibility & learning has taken place or is ongoing in ll the affected localities - surely that is the commonsense way forward for them?
Plus Kemi picking up on a Musk post & using it for politial advantage, whilst he as a white South African almost certainly regards her as a second class citizen because of her ethnicity, is just cringe-worthy.

HousePlantQueen

Galaxy

You find it appalling that I think other feminists have done more for womens rights than Jess Phillips. You are easily offended.

As I assume nobody is playing Feminist Top Trumps (game not president elect), why can you not acknowledge the work that Jess Phillips has done, Galaxy?.

The thing about Jess Phillips is that she’s a politician so will never be able to work for women in a really strong feminist way.Politicians always have agendas to follow.I don’t mean to say she’s done nothing of course but fails to speak out in the way that say, JK Rowling does.
I further agree with Galaxy that we needn’t care how furious a man who is a Muslim and of Pakistani heritage is on this subject, his fury should be reserved for those men who raped and groomed young girls.

Galaxy I am sorry if my post read as though I was prioritising the man’s feelings over the children. That was absolutely not what I meant. I was trying to point to the need for dialogue that doesn’t include hurling abuse. Jenerick was inflammatory. The phone in caller to radio 5 emphasised what he perceived was his victim status. How dare he? He didn’t mention the thousands of victims, he (understandably in many ways)n wanted to emphasise the value placed on daughters.
That’s what led to me pondering on the silence from the large Muslim community in my town

I notice my town isn’t included in the list of towns affected by the organised grooming abuse and rape of vulnerable children, mostly girls by men of Pakistani origin, who claimed to follow the Muslim faith. I know it happened here

I hope Musk isnt litigious as they say