Liz Truss Hits Back After Jess Phillips Says She Started 'Far-Right Bandwagon' Over Grooming Gangs

Jess Phillips on BBC Newsnight and Liz TrussLiz Truss has rejected claims from minister Jess Phillips that she started the “far-right bandwagon” over a grooming gangs probe.The government suddenly decided to hold a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal over the weekend.The announcement was a shock, considering prime minister Keir Starmer accused any politicians calling for such a probe of “jumping onto a far-right bandwagon” back in January.The grooming gangs scandal went viral at the start of the year when tech magnate and then-Donald Trump ally Elon Musk called safeguarding minister Phillips a “rape genocide apologist” for not ordering a national inquiry into the historic abuse.While defending her boss’s past remarks last night, Phillips claimed former Tory prime minister Truss actually “started” that far-right bandwagon.The minister told BBC Newsnight: “I think that what the prime minister was saying – this was in the wake of Elon Musk furore – was that the Conservative politicians, Kemi Badenoch, the shadow home secretary Chris Philp, he was saying they were ’jumping on the bandwagon of Elon Musk.”Phillips then interrupted herself, noting: “I think it was actually Liz Truss, she gets forgotten in all this story, Liz Truss who started it and then Elon Musk carried it on.”On Tuesday morning, Truss replied on X: “I accused Jess Phillips of excusing masked Islamist thugs – which she did.“And of rejecting Oldham’s calls for a government inquiry into grooming gangs – which she did.“It was not a ‘far-right bandwagon’.“It was about holding her to account for her complete dereliction of duty.”I accused @jessphillips of excusing masked Islamist thugs - which she did.And of rejecting Oldham's calls for a Government inquiry into grooming gangs - which she did.It was not a "far-right bandwagon".It was about holding her to account for her complete dereliction of… https://t.co/UinZCDgbQh— Liz Truss (@trussliz) June 17, 2025Labour insisted in January that a fresh inquiry was not needed as they were still implementing the recommendations from a 2022 report into the scandal, despite substantial backlash.The prime minister has now U-turned, and claims to be following the recommendations of the new independent review from Baroness Casey into child sexual exploitation.The Conservatives have subsequently called on Starmer to apologise for his “far-right” accusations.But Phillips told the BBC that Starmer was essentially just asking the Tories: “Where have you been?”She pointed out that Badenoch was the children’s minister and Chris Philp was the policing minister under the last Tory government.Phillips also rejected claims that the “far-right bandwagon” accusation was a “knee-jerk reaction” to their opponents on the right.She said: “I think it was because they’re politicians who have never cared and thought it was political expedient.”Related...'We Have Lost More Than A Decade': Labour Unveils 'Damning' Results Of Grooming Gang ReviewTop Tory's 'Excuse' As To Why Party Didn't Call Grooming Gangs Inquiry In Office Torn ApartKeir Starmer Performs Major U-Turn As He Backs National Inquiry Into Groomings Gangs

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