Musk's 'disinformation' endangering me, says Phillips
"Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has told BBC's Newsnight that "disinformation" spread by Elon Musk was "endangering" her but that it was "nothing" compared to the experiences of victims of abuse.The tech billionaire and adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump labelled Phillips a "rape genocide apologist" and said she should be jailed.Asked if the threat to her own safety had gone up since his social media posts and whether protections were in place, Phillips replied "yes".She said the experience had been "very, very, very tiring" but that she was "resigned to the lot in life that you get as a woman who fights violence against women and girls".She added: "I'm no stranger to people who don't know what they're talking about trying to silence women like me."The row between Mr Musk and the UK government concerns cases of groups of men - mainly of Pakistani descent - being convicted for sexually abusing and raping predominantly white girls around the UK.Mr Musk's intervention came in response to Phillips rejecting a request for the government to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham - which sparked calls from the Conservatives and Reform UK for a national inquiry into grooming gangs.Phillips decision was taken in October but first reported by GB News at the start of the year, and then picked up by Mr Musk on his social media platform X.Phillips defended the government's decision not to hold a national inquiry, arguing that local inquiries, such as one held in Telford, were more effective at leading to change."What I saw happen in Telford is the exact opposite of what I have seen happen because of the national expert inquiry for the last two years since it came out - I saw change happen," she said.She said she would be getting council leaders together to learn the lessons from Telford."When people say it's the council marking their own homework, it isn't."It is an independent inquiry led locally and it's the only model I've seen work, and I've worked in this field for 15 years."The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, which lasted seven years and reported in 2022, made 20 recommendations - however, none has yet been implemented.Speaking to the Today programme earlier Prof Alexis Jay, who led the inquiry, said: "We've had enough of inquiries, consultations and discussions... we have set out what action is required and people should just get on with it locally and nationally.""BBC Jan 8th
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