London (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticized those "spreading lies and misinformation" about child sex grooming gangs in the United Kingdom, responding to an online storm whipped up by Elon Musk.

"Those that are spreading lies and misinformation, as far and as wide as possible - they're not interested in victims, they're interested in themselves," Starmer told reporters Monday.

For days, Musk - the world's richest man and the owner of X - has used his social media platform to dredge up a years-long scandal over historic child sex abuse in parts of England.

In one post, Musk called on King Charles III to dissolve parliament and order new elections in Britain. In another, he called for Starmer's safeguarding minister, Jess Philips, to be imprisoned, calling her "pure evil" and "a wicked creature." On Monday, he also said Starmer should be in prison.

"We've seen this playbook many times, whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it," Starmer said.

"When the poison of the far right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, then in my book, a line has been crossed," he added.

Starmer said he enjoys "the cut-and-thrust of politics," but said these debates must "be based on facts and truth, not on lies."

He also criticized Conservative politicians - some of whom were in government during the grooming scandal - for "jumping on the bandwagon" and being "so desperate for attention that they're prepared to debase themselves and their country."

The-CNN-Wire

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