In a fiery exchange that dominated the first PMQs of 2025, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch took aim at Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his refusal to launch a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. The showdown saw Badenoch accusing Starmer of brushing aside the issue of accountability, as she called for a fresh investigation into the systematic abuse, supported by an unexpected ally—Elon Musk.
Badenoch’s challenge to the PM
Badenoch opened her line of questioning with a scathing remark about the “decades-long rape gangs scandal” that continues to haunt communities across the UK. “There are thousands of victims, but no one has joined the dots or has the total picture. It is almost certainly still going on,” she said, demanding answers from the PM about whether the “full extent” of the gangs’ activity had been uncovered.
Starmer’s defensive stance
Starmer, however, took a defensive stance, citing numerous local and national inquiries that have already been conducted. He stressed the need for action based on the information already gathered, rather than prolonging investigations further. “What is needed now is action on what we already know,” Starmer said. But Badenoch wasn’t backing down.
Badenoch accuses Starmer of cover-up
“The problem,” she shot back, “is that these previous inquiries have not held anyone accountable in a meaningful way. One victim from Telford said she wants a national inquiry because it will hold people accountable in a way that previous inquiries have not.” Her words rang with urgency, a demand for justice that could no longer be ignored.
The ‘Bandwagon-jumping’ accusation
Badenoch’s challenge became more pointed as she pressed Starmer: “The PM called for nine inquiries in the last Parliament. Does he not see that by resisting this one, people will start to worry about a cover-up?” Starmer, unfazed, accused Badenoch of “jumping on the bandwagon,” claiming she had never raised the issue when she was in power as children’s minister and women’s equalities minister.
A leader, not a lawyer
Badenoch responded sharply, declaring, “Be a leader, not a lawyer.” She reminded Starmer that the focus must be on the victims, not political maneuvering. “This is not about you, Starmer, or your past work with the Crown Prosecution Service. It’s about the victims, the children who have suffered in silence.”
Starmer’s delay tactic: Another inquiry?
At one point, Starmer attempted to deflect, stating that another lengthy inquiry would delay justice until 2031, but Badenoch was having none of it. “Shorter inquiries are possible. We don’t need to repeat what has already been done,” she argued, emphasizing that the national inquiry should address the racial and cultural motivations behind the abuse, which has often been downplayed.
The record of the previous government
The two leaders clashed once more over past government actions, with Badenoch calling out Starmer’s dismissal of the Conservatives’ work. “He knows full well we accepted 18 of the 20 recommendations in the Jay Inquiry and went further, launching a gangs taskforce,” she retorted. Despite this, Starmer accused the Tories of failing to act on those very recommendations, insisting his party had been “acting” while the Conservatives merely “tweeted and talked.”
The key question: doing the right thing?
The tension reached a boiling point when Badenoch demanded: “How are MPs going to explain to their constituents that obeying the whip is more important than doing the right thing?” Starmer, stung by her words, snapped back, accusing the Tories of “bandwagon-jumping” and labeling their approach “misguided” and “short-sighted.”
Elon Musk joins the debate
Amidst the back-and-forth, an unlikely figure weighed in on the debate. Elon Musk, the billionaire tech mogul and owner of X, backed Badenoch’s call for action, using his platform to draw attention to the scandal. “Please call your member of parliament and tell them that the hundreds of thousands of little girls in Britain who were, and are still being systematically, horrifically gang-raped deserve some justice in this world,” Musk wrote in a post that quickly gained traction.
Musk’s support: A call for justice
“This is vitally important, or it will just keep happening,” Musk added, aligning himself with Badenoch’s stance and bolstering her demand for a national inquiry.
