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A Welsh minister accused Elon Musk of spreading “utterly unacceptable” misinformation far and wide, fuelling an “appalling” torrent of abuse against a Labour colleague.

Jane Hutt condemned the world’s richest man for attacking Jess Phillips, the UK’s safeguarding minister, over her response to child grooming gangs in the UK.

The tech multi-billionaire called for Ms Phillips, who he called a “rape genocide apologist”, to be jailed after she rejected calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.

Responding to a question from Joyce Watson, another Labour colleague, Ms Hutt told the Senedd that Ms Phillips has faced appalling abuse in the aftermath.

She said: “I’m sure across the chamber we would respect and understand that it is utterly unacceptable and we must roundly condemn the ways in which there are some people in a position of influence … who do appear to be more interested in spreading misinformation.”

Wales’ social justice secretary described Ms Phillips as a remarkable politician who has spent her life standing up for the rights of women and tackling domestic abuse.

‘Wild interventions’

Ms Hutt warned that the “outrageous misinformation, lies and smears” so often target women in politics, not only in recent days.

During the business statement in the Senedd on January 7, Ms Watson called for a response from the Welsh Government to Musk’s “wild interventions” in UK politics.

She said: “As a consequence of that, another man has been charged with sending malicious communications to Jess Phillips MP and there have been serious threats to her wellbeing.

“As chair of this Senedd’s women’s caucus … I am deeply concerned that this poison may deter good women – all women – from entering public life.

“There is plenty of evidence that it’s already causing women to leave public life. 

“At a time when we are looking to expand and enrich our institution here at the next election, to encourage diversity within this debating chamber, we have to raise concerns about interventions that are coming here to the UK. And we are the next in line for elections.”