Cooper defends Phillips as ‘fearless’ advocate after Musk criticism
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The Home Secretary has defended Jess Phillips as a “fearless and formidable” advocate for sexual abuse victims after Elon Musk criticised the safeguarding minister. The billionaire X owner suggested 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.
Ms Phillips said in a letter to the local council that Oldham must follow in the footsteps of other towns such as Rotherham and Telford and commission its own inquiry into historical abuse of children. Mr Musk also attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the Prime Minister failed to bring “rape gangs” to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Ms Phillips had “campaigned tirelessly” on behalf of those that had been failed by institutions. “Jess Phillips has dedicated her career to tackling sexual violence and abuse and to being a voice for victims and survivors of the most terrible crimes, including child sexual abuse,” she said.
“From setting up the first ever child sexual exploitation service in the Black Country and supporting survivors in Telford, Jess has been a fearless and formidable advocate for victims and survivors. “She has worked with whistleblowers and campaigned tirelessly for justice for those badly let down by endemic institutional failure.”.
As a Home Office minister, Ms Phillips has put the experience of grooming and trafficking victims “at the heart” of the department’s work on modern slavery and launched a national scheme so police and staff work together to spot when hotels are used as a site of child sexual exploitation, Ms Cooper said.
