Silence of the Complicit: Starmer’s Empty Words and Britain’s Grooming Gang Shame

Grooming Gang Whistleblower Challenges Establishment’s Legacy of Failure

A devastating critique of Britain’s political and legal establishment has emerged from one of the country’s most respected police whistleblowers, raising serious questions about institutional accountability in the fight against child exploitation.

Maggie Oliver, whose resignation from Greater Manchester Police in 2012 helped expose systemic failures in tackling grooming gangs, has launched a searing indictment of both major political parties’ handling of child sexual exploitation cases.

“The machinery of justice has failed these children at every level,” Oliver states, calling for criminal accountability for officials who “knowingly ignored these crimes.” Her demands for an independent inquiry highlight a troubling pattern: despite numerous investigations, meaningful reform remains elusive.

Her criticism notably extends to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013.

Oliver took to X (formerly Twitter) to denounce the repeated failures of inquiries into the grooming gang scandals, describing them as costly exercises that have “led absolutely nowhere.” She wrote:

“We need totally independent people to ensure this isn’t just another attempt to delay and hide the truth. Radical change and an overhaul of all public bodies are essential, along with criminal accountability for senior police and public officials who knowingly ignored these crimes.”

Her remarks follow claims by Elon Musk, who alleged that Starmer, during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions, failed to bring “rape gangs” to justice. Musk also criticised safeguarding minister Jess Phillips for rejecting calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

Oliver accused both major political parties of failing victims, adding: “Conservatives and Labour are all equally to blame, and Keir Starmer as former DPP is perhaps as guilty as anyone in where we find ourselves today. Those entrusted with keeping our children safe and prosecuting serial rapists have failed. Repeatedly. Knowingly. Criminally.”

Maggie Oliver’s accusation that Keir Starmer is “perhaps as guilty as anyone” is not merely a passing critique—it’s a searing indictment from someone who has seen the devastating consequences of institutional failure up close. While Starmer was meticulously crafting his political résumé, whistleblowers like Oliver were sidelined and silenced for daring to confront uncomfortable truths. Her words expose a glaring disconnect between those in power and the victims they vowed to protect.

Carrying the Can or Burying the Truth? Keir Starmer’s Legacy Questioned

Starmer’s record offers little defence. He has repeatedly leveraged his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to bolster his political credibility, frequently citing his leadership of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) during Prime Minister’s Questions as evidence of his competence. Yet, the reality of his time as DPP paints a starkly different picture. Remember when Starmer, with the air of a man accepting a lifetime achievement award, solemnly claimed, “When they made mistakes, I carried the can”? It was a statement designed to exude accountability, but it rings hollow when juxtaposed with the glaring oversights under his watch. Somehow, this particular can of worms seems to have been conveniently misplaced.

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

It knitted several previous inquiries together alongside its own investigations.

The broader pattern is depressingly familiar: costly inquiries that yield no tangible results, recommendations that languish in bureaucratic limbo, and endless assurances that “lessons have been learned.” Professor Alexis Jay’s characterisation of child sexual exploitation as an “epidemic” should have shattered complacency and spurred decisive action. Instead, her inquiry’s 20 recommendations now sit alongside countless others in the graveyard of ignored solutions—testament to a system that excels at introspection but stumbles at implementation.

The failures are not just a critique of past leadership but a damning reflection on the present. Starmer’s reliance on his DPP record to project authority now seems less like a badge of honour and more like a scarlet letter—a reminder of missed opportunities and lives left unprotected.

The Scandal That Won’t Go Away: Institutional Complicity in Grooming Gang Cases

What’s particularly galling is the political theatre surrounding this tragedy. When Elon Musk, for all his flaws, points out the emperor’s lack of clothes, the establishment circles the wagons. Sara Rowbotham’s dismissal of Musk’s criticism as “political” rather than focusing on the victims is ironic – as if the political protection of those who failed these children isn’t itself a form of secondary abuse.

Let’s be crystal clear: this isn’t about left versus right, Labour versus Conservative. This is about a system designed to protect itself rather than serve justice. When Starmer boasts about “carrying the can” for his staff’s mistakes, he conveniently omits the cans he chose to leave firmly lidded – the ones crawling with the maggots of institutional failure.

Starmer’s carefully crafted image as the consummate public servant crumbles in the face of Oliver’s testimony. You can’t claim to carry the can while simultaneously burying the evidence of systemic failure. You can’t position yourself as a champion of justice while those who fought for real justice were being sidelined and silenced on your watch.

The questions we should be asking aren’t about Musk’s motivations or political point-scoring. They’re about why, despite mountains of evidence, countless victims, and brave whistleblowers risking everything, we’re still waiting for meaningful change. They’re about why those who presided over these failures continue to fail upward into positions of greater power.

The question now isn’t whether the system failed – that much is painfully clear. The question is whether Britain’s political establishment has the will to implement meaningful change, or if we’re destined to see more inquiries that, in Oliver’s words, lead “absolutely nowhere.”

The bitter truth is that this scandal isn’t just about past failures – it’s about ongoing complicity. Every day without action, without accountability, without real change is another day the establishment chooses institutional protection over justice for victims.

So yes, Sir Keir, tell us again about how you “carried the can.” Just remember that some of us can still smell what you’ve been trying to keep buried.

Paul Knaggs