Sir Keir Starmer said the online debate about child sexual exploitation was based on lies, with politicians “jumping on the bandwagon”.
He said threats made against MPs such as safeguarding minister Jess Phillips meant “in my book, a line has been crossed”.
He accused the Tories of “amplifying what the far-right is saying” on child sexual abuse after falling to act “for 14 long years”.
Responding to questions about a slew of social media posts from Tesla-owner Elon Musk, Sir Keir Starmer said “a line has been crossed” when Ms Phillips and others receive serious threats as a result of the “poison of the far-right.”
He said: “This Government will get on with the job of protecting victims, including of child sexual abuse, mandatory reporting, accelerating the processes, but what I won’t tolerate is this discussion and debate based on lies.”
He added: “What I won’t tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon, simply to get attention when those politicians sat in government for 14 long years, tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it. Now, so desperate for attention that they’re amplifying what the far-right is saying.”