With Elon Musk becoming Keir Starmer’s chief critic, the task ahead for the Labour Party

The underlying issue relates to child grooming in towns across the north which led to the Jay reports, an independent inquiry in Rotherham, Yorkshire. It found that between 1997 and 2013, more than 1,400 children were exposed to sexual abuse and violence by groups of men who were almost all of Pakistani descent. Starmer was the director of public prosecution in that era and initiated action against such gangs. His supporters have pointed to his resolve in pursuing prosecutions while critics have long maintained that many more convictions should have been secured.

What’s sparked the more immediate furore is that the Oldham council recently asked for a wider inquiry into historical abuse in the town which was rejected by Jess Phillips, safeguarding minister, who argued in favour of a locals-led approach. Phillips has been the target of appalling vitriol from Musk with suggestions such as she “deserves to be in prison”. Starmer doubled down to suggest that a discussion about a wider inquiry was akin to “jumping on a far-right bandwagon”. Setting aside Musk’s inflammatory posts, it seems odd that genuine concerns can be swept aside with such sweeping assertions. A potential correlation between Labour’s reticence and the fact that several of its MPs have sizeable ethnic populations in their constituency will not have escaped the public either.

In the immediate aftermath of this uproar, several wider observations are worth reflecting on. First, it underscores the sharp polarisation between the left and right, making a moderate and civil discourse on sensitive topics close to impossible. Smug ideological certitude on each side has led to the near-abandonment of a rational debate. Examining how and where these gangs operated and assessing the reforms needed is essential. A fear of upsetting certain communities should not derail the critical moral imperative to get to the truth and secure justice for the victims. The left-wing attempts to downplay the scandal have only succeeded in glorifying right-wing hardliners. This is exemplified by Tommy Robinson, the English Defence League founder jailed for contempt of court somehow being touted as a poster boy for free speech.

The tussle between Musk and Starmer also points to the likely challenges for Labour during a Trump presidency. Musk has not kept his antipathy towards Starmer a secret, perceiving him as weak and ineffectual. In contrast, Musk’s image, sharing a stage with Sunak and extolling the virtues of AI seems ages ago. The hope within Labour is that others in the incoming Trump administration such as Marco Rubio prove to be easier to deal with. However, that underestimates the regard Trump and Musk have for each other and how the tone of the administration will be set.

The real risk of continued friction is if the “special relationship” between the nations turns sour and Trump carries through with the imposition of tariffs on UK exports. That will be devastating for the British economy. Simply sending an experienced veteran such as Peter Mandelson to Washington as ambassador to mitigate this risk is unlikely to be enough. Realpolitik demands that Starmer adapts his style to embrace more directness and find some common ground quickly with Musk — and by extension, Trump too. Otherwise, he only has to look at Justin Trudeau to gauge the downside risks of living in an ivory tower.

The extraordinary clout wielded by Musk is another leading theme for examination. His endorsement has the capacity to swing political fortunes and his criticism can capsize careers. For example, his support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, AfD in Germany and other far-right groups in Europe has centrists worried. Volatility seems to be a consistent theme too. We should expect more drama in the next few years as politicians struggle to work out how to engage with him.

Turning to Labour, in the lead-up to last year’s election, Starmer’s approach was focused on letting the Tories score own-goals while remaining silent himself. That worked as leader of the opposition, but in office, to govern is to choose as Starmer is learning painfully. Sitting on the fence is no option. If Keir Starmer is to make the most of his majority, he should push on with an agenda for economic renewal for the long term that prioritises wealth creation and offers hope. That would truly signify “taking back control”.

Bhandari is a London-based lawyer and political commentator.