A former Greater Manchester Police detective has slammed Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who she sees as accusing people challenging the government’s investigations into grooming gangs as being the work of “far right extremists”.
Yesterday, the PM said the online debate about child sexual exploitation was based on lies as he hit out over politicians ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ and the ‘poison of the far-right’. The PM had been responding to questions on social media posts from Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, the PM said ‘a line has been crossed’ after safeguarding minister Jess Phillips and others received threats.
Sir Keir’s comments follow posts by Mr Musk on his social media site, X, in which the billionaire claimed Ms Phillips ‘deserves to be in prison’ for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham and called her a ‘rape genocide apologist’. On Monday, Mr Musk suggested the Prime Minister was ‘complicit in the crimes’ of child sex offenders, and in a separate post added: “Prison for Starmer.”
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Speaking to Times Radio, former detective Maggie Oliver, who resigned from GMP in 2012, is known as a whistle-blower for exposing the handling of the Rochdale child sex abuse ring case by her own force. Now a campaigner for survivors of abuse, Mrs Oliver told Times Radio: “When I listened to the protestations of the Prime Minister yesterday, accusing all of us who challenge what is going on and has been going on as far right extremists – I’m afraid that I don’t trust the willingness or the determination still to get to the bottom (of it), we all know what’s happened.”
She added: “The 20 recommendations of the national abuse inquiry have still not been implemented – that’s the start. Maybe gather together all the evidence we already have from the local inquiries in Rochdale, in Rotherham, in Manchester, and that could be the start of the process, add victims’ voices to that, and have people who are truly knowledgeable analysing it. Well, maybe that’s the way forward.”
The former detective said she believes victims and survivors would have to be “at the centre” of any new inquiry, and spoke about the challenges victims of abuse still face.
Adding: “It’s about a lack of resources, a lack of training, not prioritising these cases, still victim blaming and judging them, a lack of experience in police forces now, but for me, the buck stops at the top. If this is a priority – invest, commit.
“There are many people out there who know exactly what’s needed but it is more than just a criminal justice problem. It is a societal problem that needs multiple strands and different ways of tackling.
“Every victim of child abuse will not get their day in court but every victim needs help and support and compassion and kindness, and that is really the bigger picture.”
Speaking on Monday (January 6), Sir Keir also accused the Tories of “amplifying what the far-right is saying” on child sexual abuse after falling to act “for 14 long years”. He added: “What I won’t tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon, simply to get attention when those politicians sat in government for 14 long years, tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it. Now, so desperate for attention that they’re amplifying what the far-right is saying.”
Meanwhile, Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, called for the “full implementation” of her report’s recommendations. Distancing herself from calls in Westminster for a new independent review, she said instead that the introduction of measures which she recommended two years ago was “critical”.
The Government, meanwhile, said it is working “at pace” to implement the recommendations of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.
“No child should ever suffer sexual abuse or exploitation and it is paramount we do more to protect vulnerable children – which is why we are working at pace across government to drive forward real action to implement the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse,” a Government spokesperson said.
“Professor Alexis Jay worked for seven years on a comprehensive independent inquiry and continues to work with survivors of these heinous crimes – and this Government is committed to working closely with survivors and expert groups like Act on IICSA.”
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