Kemi Badenoch has demanded a new probe into the UK’s “rape gangs scandal”.

The Tory leader joined US billionaire Elon Musk in calling for an investigation after he launched his latest outspoken attack on Sir Keir Starmer.

The pair seized on a decision by the Labour Government not to lead a public inquiry into historic child sex abuse in Oldham.

Mrs Badenoch said: “The time is long overdue for a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.

“Trials have taken place all over the country in recent years but no one in authority has joined the dots. 2025 must be the year that the victims start to get justice.”

Mr Musk used his social media platform X to claim that “rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice” during Sir Keir’s time as Director of Public Prosecutions.

The Tesla boss also claimed that safeguarding minister Jess Phillips “deserves to be in prison” after she denied requests from Oldham Council for a Home Office-led inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester town.

He said: “In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service’s approval for the police to charge suspects.

“Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013.

“Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Starmer. The real reason she’s refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Stamer (head of the CPS at the time).”

In a letter to the local authority, Ms Phillips said she believes it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry into child sexual exploitation locally, rather than for the Government to intervene”.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp and shadow safeguarding minister Alicia Kearns have written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Ms Phillips calling for an immediate national inquiry.

They said: “Survivors need justice and confidence in the criminal justice system. Only a statutory public inquiry can adequately encompass the national nature of these crimes and issues, and consider police, CPS and local council handling of these crimes (including whether reports were ignored or even covered up).

“A public inquiry will also have the power to summon witnesses and obtain written evidence.

“Successive Conservative home secretaries commissioned significant data work and initiated targeted inquiries in the past, but we now ask you to now launch a time-limited, national statutory public inquiry into grooming and rape gangs to get to the truth once and for all.”

Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick blasted the Government’s “shameful” decision not to intervene.

Former home secretary Suella Braverman added: “It’s official: Jess Phillips is all talk and no action. She sits on her hands refusing an inquiry into Oldham grooming gangs.

“As Home Secretary, I set up a taskforce leading to hundreds of arrests. Her inaction speaks volumes about her commitment to women and girls. Disgraceful.”

But Reform UK lashed out at the Tories for not taking action when they were in office.

The party’s leader Nigel Farage said: “Talk is cheap. The Conservatives had 14 years in government to launch an inquiry.

“The establishment has failed the victims of grooming gangs on every level.”

Reform MP Rupert Lowe warned the issue had been “disgracefully ignored and suppressed for too long”.

Mr Lowe insisted the British people should be able to “see for themselves the extent of the horror” and that the Government should publish “all detail”.

He added: “What is the Home Office currently doing in order to prevent ongoing grooming, rape, exploitation or abuse of young British girls? How many girls are estimated to still be involved with these gangs?

“Will they publish a full nationality breakdown of those convicted for such offences, along with the location of their crimes?”

In a series of posts on X weighing into British politics on Thursday, Mr Musk called for far-right activist Tommy Robinson to be released from prison.

The X owner, who has been embroiled in an ongoing war of words with the PM, also said a “new election should be called in Britain” due to Labour’s plummeting poll ratings.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse, which published its final report in 2022, described the exploitation of children as an “epidemic that leaves tens of thousands of victims in its poisonous wake”.

The probe, led by Professor Alexis Jay, looked into abuse by organised groups following multiple convictions of sexual offences against children across the UK between 2010-2014, including in Rotherham, Cornwall, Derbyshire, Rochdale and Bristol.

In November last year, Professor Jay said she felt “frustrated” that none of the inquiry’s 20 recommendations had been implemented more than two years after its conclusion.

She said: “It’s a difficult subject matter, but it is essential that there’s some public understanding of it.

“But we can only do what we can to press the Government to look at the delivery of all of this.

“It doesn’t need more consultation, it does not need more research or discussion, it just needs to be done.”

The 2022 inquiry looked at all child sexual abuse, while the fresh probe the Tories are calling for would focus solely on grooming gangs.

An Oldham Council spokesman said: “Survivors sit at the heart of our work to end child sexual exploitation. Whatever happens in terms of future inquiries, we have promised them that their wishes will be paramount, and we will not renege on that pledge.”

A Labour spokesperson said: “Child sexual abuse and exploitation are the most horrendous crimes and the Home Office supports police investigations and independent inquiries to get truth and justice for victims.

“We have supported both the national overarching inquiry into child abuse which reported in 2022, and local independent inquiries and reviews including in Telford, Rotherham and Greater Manchester.

“This Government is working urgently to strengthen the law so that these crimes are properly reported and investigated.

“In Oldham the crimes committed by grooming gangs were horrific. Young girls were abused in the most cruel and sadistic way.

“Victims and the community need to know that all steps are taken to deliver justice and protect children properly in the future. We will welcome and support an independent investigation commissioned by Oldham Council which puts victims’ voices at its heart, following the examples of Telford and Rotherham.

“We also continue to support wider work commissioned by Mayor Andy Burnham into child protection issues across Greater Manchester, following the review into historic safeguarding issues in Oldham which was published in 2022.

“Labour in opposition called for and supported the national inquiry into child sexual abuse under Professor Alexis Jay which concluded in 2022. The Labour Government is now working at pace to implement the recommendations, including introducing the duty to report.”