and the women using tattoos to reclaim their bodies after treatment for breast cancer. and coming up on bbc news... britain's dan evans falls at the first hurdle as he loses in the opening round of qualifying for the upcoming australian open. hello and welcome to the bbc news at one. the prime minister has defended his record on tackling grooming gangs operating in the uk. it's after calls from opposition parties for a national inquiry, and scathing criticism on social media from the tech billionare elon musk. sir keir starmer accused the far right of spreading poison, lies and misinformation because they were desperate for attention. our political correspondent

damian grammaticas has more. he is the world's richest man, with the ear of the us president, now disrupting politics here, too. elon musk has attacked a sir keir starmer, calling him a national embarrassment he should be in prison, claiming he was complicit in crimes committed by grooming gangs responsible for child sexual abuse. he attacked the safeguarding ministerjess phillips, saying her behaviour had been utterly disgusting, she was a rape genocide apologist, should also be in prison. the prime minister clearly felt he could no longer ignore the interventions and waded into day, defending his record as director of public prosecutions, saying he was the first to tackle the gangs head on. . , , ., , the first to tackle the gangs head on. . , , , ., on. that is why i reopen cases that had been closed, _ on. that is why i reopen cases that had been closed, and _ on. that is why i reopen cases that had been closed, and supposedly l had been closed, and supposedly finished. i brought the first major prosecution of an asian grooming gangin

prosecution of an asian grooming gang in the particular case in rochdale, but it was the first of its kind, many that then followed that format. we changed the whole prosecution approach.— that format. we changed the whole prosecution approach. rochdale was 'ust one prosecution approach. rochdale was just one town _ prosecution approach. rochdale was just one town of— prosecution approach. rochdale was just one town of many _ prosecution approach. rochdale was just one town of many over - prosecution approach. rochdale was just one town of many over several. just one town of many over several decades, thousands of young girls were groomed and abused by gangs, many of the men involved of pakistani descent. nervousness about inflaming racial tensions meant some cases were not investigated. the controversy over grooming gangs, and what government, police and others fail to do, goes back many years. elon musk�*s interventions are helping to wet it up a new, and others have waded in. kemi badenoch and the conservatives said there should be a new national public inquiry. nigel farage says he supports that too.— inquiry. nigel farage says he supports that too. inquiry. nigel farage says he su orts that too. ., ~ supports that too. elon musk will in a few da s supports that too. elon musk will in a few days become _ supports that too. elon musk will in a few days become part _ supports that too. elon musk will in a few days become part of- supports that too. elon musk will in a few days become part of the - a few days become part of the american administration, he has an important international role. some of his language has been completely unacceptable, the fact that some politicians in this country are

under greater protection as a consequence is also unacceptable. in many ways, that is a destruction. the spotlight should be on the failure of this government to have a nationwide inquiry into these grooming gangs. nationwide inquiry into these grooming gange— nationwide inquiry into these grooming gangs. there was an independent — grooming gangs. there was an independent inquiry _ grooming gangs. there was an independent inquiry set - grooming gangs. there was an independent inquiry set up - grooming gangs. there was an independent inquiry set up a i grooming gangs. there was an - independent inquiry set up a decade ago which spent seven years investigating abuse in england and wales. two and a half years ago, it produced 20 recommendations. it's chair is now working with a new group, whose mission she says is not to call for new inquiries, but to advocate for the full implimentation of the original recommendations. her group says the original inquiry, which aired from over 7500 victims and survivors, provided a clear road map for action. yet two years later, none of the recommendations have been fully implement it. jess phillips, who has a long record of protecting women and girls, was attacked by elon musk because she has recently said in 0ldham a local inquiry would be better than a government led one.- inquiry would be better than a government led one. inquiry would be better than a overnment led one. ~ government led one. when the poison ofthe

government led one. when the poison of the far right — government led one. when the poison of the far right leads _ government led one. when the poison of the far right leads to _ government led one. when the poison of the far right leads to serious - of the far right leads to serious threats to jess of the far right leads to serious threats tojess phillips and others, in my book a line has been crossed. he said conservatives had done nothing in government and labour would make it a crime not to report child sexual abuse if you were aware of it. 0ur chief political correspondent henry zeffmanjoins us now from westminster. henry, a busy in—tray for the prime minister as parliament returns after the winter recess? it is six months this week since keir starmer took office as prime minister. one of the lessons all prime ministers learn very quickly is about the capacity of events to throw them off course. i think it is fair to say no the prime minister has experienced this before, the world was not the richest man, a close confidant of the incoming us president, trying to throw them off course with a volley of direct, personal, verbal abuse. what you heard was the prime minister trying to carry off the intricate trick of

hitting back directly at elon musk, without actually acknowledging that he was hitting back at elon musk. i think he probably would have expected as far as elon musk is concerned, that would not draw a line under things. so it has proved. in the last few moments, i warn you this is graphic, elon musk has posted on his social media website starmer was deeply complicit in the mass rapes in exchange for votes. what keir starmer was actually here to talk about today was the nhs. we will hear more about his plans in that area shortly. i am told this is just the start of several events over the coming days and weeks in which the prime minister will try to highlight each of the six milestones on different areas which he unveiled just before christmas. that is the plan. let's see if topsy—turvy news agendas of 2025 might take this new prime minister. more snow, ice and rain has been causing disruption across the country this morning. the ms has been shut in gloucestershire because of flooding,

and there are more than 150 flood warnings still in place across england. manchester airport says its runways have now reopened after heavy snow closed them earlier. many trains have been affected too. 0ur correspondent jessica lane has the latest. there were delays on many roads this morning after snow fell over the weekend and then gave way to rain and sleet. not a great start, as many went back to work and school. we have had to abandon a car on the street, it is so bad. it's horrendous. we were sliding all over the place and i was worried about elderly people, and workers that needed to get out. at elderly people, and workers that needed to get out. at manchester airort, needed to get out. at manchester airport. the _ needed to get out. at manchester airport, the runways _ needed to get out. at manchester airport, the runways have - needed to get out. at manchester airport, the runways have been i airport, the runways have been closed several times over the last few days, so snow can be cleared away. planes have now started to take off, but here and elsewhere some of my to be in the wrong

locations, which could add to problems. yesterday, in part of the south—east of england, waders were essential as roads became rivers. today, there were several flood warnings as water levels surged, with the milder temperatures. but by mid—morning, the worst he has seemed to have passed. even so, the environment agency is warning people to be careful, and says record—breaking water levels have been seen in leicestershire. star; been seen in leicestershire. stay awa . it been seen in leicestershire. stay away- it can _ been seen in leicestershire. stay away- it can be — been seen in leicestershire. stay away. it can be very _ been seen in leicestershire. sit: away. it can be very dangerous, been seen in leicestershire. st

cases. -- travel in safely. just bein: cases. -- travel in safely. just being outside _ cases. -- travel in safely. just being outside in _ cases. -- travel in safely. just being outside in the _ cases. —— travel in safely. just being outside in the snow, the weather is great, any opportunity to get out with the kids away from the screens is brilliant. they were delighted to have an extra bonus day. we are all happy in our house. weather forecasters say it will stay cold across the uk for some days, with warnings of snow and ice this evening, tonight i over —— and tomorrow morning. in a moment, we'll speak to our correspondent ellie price, who's in edenbridge, but first, nick garnett is near huddersfield. how've things been there, nick? well, across much of the country, this area in particular, the main a roads have been cleared. but it is the rural areas, the side roads that are being left untreated. really, no one knows when they are going to reopen, because it will have to be left until the weather changes and the thaw set in. it is important

that this road, the 62, stays open. most, if not all of the other trans pennine routes are blocked by snow at the moment, so this is the only one across. look at the number of lorries there are. i have to say, the road is quieter than it usually is at this time of day. it has been a struggle to keep this road open over the last 2a hours. traffic officers and gritters have been out almost constantly. they have been clearing snow, they have been clearing snow, they have been clearing excess water, and even jackknifed lorries as they try everything they can to make sure the route stays open and people can travel across the country on this one road at least. thanks, nick. the environment agency is warning people to stay away from rising water and not to drive through floodwater. ellie price is in edenbridge. ellie, flooding has been causing disruption today, hasn't it? they have been preparing for a flood here, and certainly the little dog

we saw swimming around in the flood water and certainly the little dog we saw swimming around in the floodwater a few minutes ago wondered where the field had gone. happily, the town of edenbridge in kent has not flooded. let me show you how close it came to it. this is the bridge right in the centre of the bridge right in the centre of the town. there had been a flood warning in edenbridge for the river even, but a flood warning was lifted this morning. i suppose the environment agency, about an hour or so ago, said that they felt the worst was probably over for the south—east. that is small comfort for those people living in south—east. that is small comfor