Jess Phillips

Following the Oldham controversy, the Home Office initially announced a £10 million plan including reviews of closed cases and support for local inquiries. In June 2025, following Louise Casey's audit, the government ultimately accepted the principle of a new statutory national inquiry. It was formally announced in December 2025, its final terms published in March 2026 and its formal establishment set for 13 April 2026.

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Phillips resigned as Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls on 12 May 2026, joining mounting pressure from Labour MPs for a leadership change following poor local election results. She accused Keir Starmer's leadership of blocking or delaying progress and notably cited slow measures to prevent children creating or sharing sexually explicit images on their devices.

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Phillips and her husband received admission and dinner at the Chelsea Flower Show courtesy of Lloyds Banking Group, valued at £310. Received on 20 May 2024, the benefit was not registered until 4 November 2024, well beyond the statutory deadline. The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found a breach of the registration rule.

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In July 2024, Oldham Council asked the Home Office for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the town. In October, Phillips, now Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, refused a Home Office-commissioned inquiry and wrote that it was for the local council to decide whether to establish its own inquiry. This decision became a national controversy in January 2025.

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During the grooming gangs controversy, Elon Musk repeatedly attacked Phillips on X, notably calling her a 'rape genocide apologist' and an 'evil witch' and saying she deserved prison. Phillips stated that the campaign had intensified threats against her and the security risks she faced.

After footage emerged of masked men intimidating a Sky journalist in Birmingham, Phillips responded to Richard Tice that counter-protesters had gathered because they had been told far-right activists were coming, and accused Tice of spreading misinformation. Conservatives and Reform UK accused her of excusing threatening behaviour and illustrating two-tier policing.

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A further investigation examined an allegation of failure to declare payment for an appearance on The Last Leg and discovered that a £1,000 payment from the University of Bristol had been registered two days after the 28-day deadline. The Commissioner rejected the allegation concerning The Last Leg, as no remuneration had been received, but found that the delay concerning the Bristol payment breached paragraph 14 of the Code.

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After headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh posted an image of Tina Turner with Ike Turner, Phillips strongly challenged her on X and questioned her school's judgement and safeguarding culture. Birbalsingh accused Phillips of unleashing an online mob and engaging in 'racist and bullying' behaviour, wrote to Keir Starmer and said she had reported her to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

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Phillips resigned as shadow minister for domestic abuse and safeguarding in order to vote for the SNP amendment calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war, contrary to Labour's instruction. She became one of the best-known figures to publicly break with Keir Starmer on the issue.

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An investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards concluded that Phillips had registered 18 financial interests late. The delays notably concerned income from writing, columns, books and media activities. The entries were corrected through the rectification procedure on 23 May 2022.

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During Labour's leadership campaign, Phillips accused some unnamed rivals of having been absent or silent during internal efforts to establish a more robust and independent procedure against antisemitism. Her remarks prompted a tense exchange at the hustings.

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Following the New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Cologne, Phillips said on Question Time that a 'very similar' situation could occur every week on Broad Street in Birmingham, referring to sexual harassment experienced by women in nightlife areas. The comparison provoked strong local and police reactions.

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A few months after being elected as an MP, Jess Phillips publicly recounted telling Diane Abbott to 'fuck off' during a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting concerning, among other matters, the absence of women from senior positions in Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet. Phillips subsequently apologised for her language.

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During consideration of a request for an International Men's Day debate by the Backbench Business Committee, Phillips laughed and said that, as the only woman on the committee, it seemed to her that 'every day is men's day'. The incident prompted a strong reaction from politicians and campaigners who believed she was minimising issues such as male suicide, health and violence against men.

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In an interview with Owen Jones, Phillips said that if Jeremy Corbyn ended up doing Labour more harm than good, she would not stab him in the back but 'in the front'. The metaphor fuelled accusations of disloyalty and hostility towards the new Labour leader.

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