Jess Phillips is under fire for her response to Elon Musk’s accusations of hypocrisy regarding her past comments on rape.
Birmingham: So, Jess Phillips is in hot water after Elon Musk called her a “rape apologist.” It all kicked off when Musk slammed her for her reaction to the government blocking a new inquiry into grooming gangs.
He pointed out that she had used similar language against George Galloway back in 2015. It’s a bit of a mess, really. Musk, who’s no stranger to controversy, said her reaction was hypocritical.
He was referring to a serious issue where girls in various UK towns were abused by gangs. Phillips said Musk’s comments turned her life “upside down.”
Interestingly, she had called Galloway a “rape apologist” when they bumped into each other on a beach. That was back when he made some pretty questionable comments about Julian Assange’s allegations.
Assange faced serious accusations, but he’s always denied them. Phillips seemed to take a jab at Galloway for his past remarks, which didn’t sit well with many.
Galloway, for his part, denied her account of their beach encounter and called her a liar. It’s all getting a bit messy, with Phillips using the term “rape apologist” a few times over the years.
Now, Musk is saying she’s being hypocritical, and Phillips is feeling the heat. She mentioned that his comments are “endangering” her, which is pretty intense.
Musk also claimed she turned down a request for a public inquiry into child exploitation in Oldham, trying to protect Keir Starmer, who was in charge of prosecutions back in the day.
Starmer has admitted that the system failed vulnerable girls during his tenure, which adds another layer to this whole situation.
Phillips expressed her frustration, saying Musk’s comments are ridiculous and that they could have serious consequences for her. She’s been in the spotlight, and it’s not easy.
She even suggested that if victims want it, the government could set up a national inquiry into grooming gangs. It’s a hot topic, and there’s a lot of pressure for answers.
Downing Street seems to think the time for another investigation has passed, but Phillips is keeping her options open. The previous inquiry didn’t cover the grooming gang scandals properly, so there’s still a lot to unpack here.
It’s a complicated situation, and it looks like it’s far from over.
