
“He is deranged!”
So stated a cupboard minister to me, describing Elon Musk.
The anger and exasperation on the coronary heart of presidency concerning the world’s richest man is palpable.
The flurry – or slurry, as his critics see it – of social media posts from Mr Musk embody not simply gratuitous insults and ignorance, however falsehoods.
However it’s also true that they’ve turbocharged a public dialog about baby sexual abuse within the UK, and catapulted a debate about whether or not there needs to be a brand new public inquiry to the highest of the agenda.
As he would see it, the prime minister has sought to re-rationalise the dialog round verifiable details and take the warmth out of it.
He repeatedly recommended within the Commons that it was affordable for some to consider a public inquiry was needed. He doesn’t suppose that.
Sir Keir Starmer additionally set out his observe document as Director of Public Prosecutions in an try and demolish the concept he both did not care concerning the concern or was complicit in not addressing it.
His supporters are boiling with rage at what they see because the outrageous injustice of the PM being denigrated on a difficulty he was one of many first to handle, when he ran the Crown Prosecution Service.
However he additionally sought to denigrate the Opposition immediately for looking for to oppose and ask awkward questions, which is their very function.
Downing Road argue that one other public inquiry would additional delay making adjustments that would defend youngsters now.
They base this argument on precedent – the dearth of supply of the adjustments really helpful by the nationwide unbiased inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.
However the prime minister’s official spokesman struggled to offer us an instance of exactly what can be delayed now if a public inquiry was arrange.
And, intriguingly, No10 look like leaving the door open to alter their thoughts.

A part of their posture and language appears like an try and calm the tone and tenor of the talk.
However it’s also true that they aren’t categorically ruling out a U-turn.
This comes because the Conservatives and Reform double down on their calls for for an inquiry, with the Tories establishing an internet petition to attempt to harvest public opinion on the difficulty to be able to heap extra strain on ministers.
The Conservatives face repeated accusations of opportunism, however can and do level to the variety of inquiries the prime minister referred to as for in opposition.
They declare the absence of 1 will imply individuals “might begin to fear a couple of cover-up”.
Sir Keir hit again that this amounted to “lies and misinformation and slinging of mud”.
Oh and who has popped up once more on X to endorse Kemi Badenoch’s place?
Elon Musk.