Is Starmer leaving the door open to an abuse inquiry?

"He's deranged!"

So said a furniture curate to me, describing Elon Musk.

The choler and exasperation astatine the bosom of authorities astir the world's richest antheral is palpable.

The flurry - oregon slurry, arsenic his critics spot it - of societal media posts from Mr Musk see not conscionable gratuitous insults and ignorance, but falsehoods.

But it is besides existent that they person turbocharged a nationalist speech astir kid intersexual maltreatment successful the UK, and catapulted a statement astir whether determination should beryllium a caller nationalist enquiry to the apical of the agenda.

As helium would spot it, the premier curate has sought to re-rationalise the speech astir verifiable facts and instrumentality the vigor retired of it.

He repeatedly suggested successful the Commons that it was tenable for immoderate to judge a nationalist enquiry was necessary. He does not deliberation that.

Sir Keir Starmer besides set retired his way grounds arsenic Director of Public Prosecutions successful an effort to demolish the thought that helium either didn't attraction astir the contented oregon was complicit successful not addressing it.

His supporters are boiling with rage astatine what they spot arsenic the outrageous injustice of the PM being denigrated connected an contented helium was 1 of the archetypal to address, erstwhile helium ran the Crown Prosecution Service.

But helium besides sought to denigrate the Opposition contiguous for seeking to reason and inquire awkward questions, which is their precise role.

Downing Street reason that different nationalist enquiry would further hold making changes that could support children now.

They basal this statement connected precedent – the deficiency of transportation of the changes recommended by the nationalist autarkic enquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.

But the premier minister's authoritative spokesperson struggled to springiness america an illustration of precisely what would beryllium delayed present if a nationalist enquiry was acceptable up.

And, intriguingly, No10 look to beryllium leaving the doorway unfastened to alteration their mind.

Part of their posture and connection looks similar an effort to calm the code and tenor of the debate.

But it is besides existent that they are not categorically ruling retired a U-turn.

This comes arsenic the Conservatives and Reform treble down connected their demands for an inquiry, with the Tories mounting up an online petition to effort to harvest nationalist sentiment connected the contented successful bid to heap much unit connected ministers.

The Conservatives look repeated accusations of opportunism, but tin and bash constituent to the fig of inquiries the premier curate called for successful opposition.

They assertion the lack of 1 volition mean radical "may commencement to interest astir a cover-up".

Sir Keir deed backmost that this amounted to "lies and misinformation and slinging of mud".

Oh and who has popped up again connected X to endorse Kemi Badenoch's position?

Elon Musk.