Former Tony Blair minister, who criticized Musk for opining on child abuse scandals, arrested on suspicion of sex crimes

Ivor Caplin, a former U.K. defense minister and member of the Labour Party, was arrested Saturday in Brighton on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with minors. The arrest occurred as part of an undercover operation organized by a group of citizens calling themselves "pedophile hunters."

Live-streamed operation

The arrest of Caplin, 66, was recorded and broadcast live via Facebook by those responsible for the operation. In the video, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, the former minister can be seen handcuffed, wearing a black T-shirt and a red hat, while surrounded by two police officers.

The video has gone viral on social media, reaching more than 36,000 views and generating close to 3,000 comments. Many of them express indignation and debate about the case.

In a statement, Sussex Police confirmed the arrest:

"We are aware of footage circulating on social media showing a man in Brighton being detained on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child. Officers can confirm a local 66-year-old man was arrested on Saturday January 11 and currently remains in custody. This is an ongoing and active investigation."

Denials and background

Caplin has denied all allegations against him. However, this incident comes months after he was suspended from the Labor Party due to unspecified "serious allegations," which he has also denied. During his political career, Caplin held key roles in Tony Blair's government, including assistant party leader and minister for defense and veterans at the Ministry of Defense.

Recent criticism of Elon Musk

Less than a week ago, Ivor Caplin, a former U.K. defense minister, drew media attention by criticizing Elon Musk's comments about Labour leader Keir Starmer and MP Jess Phillips' handling of the U.K.'s historic child abuse scandals.

During an appearance on "GB News," Caplin characterized Musk's tweets as "completely and utterly unfound" and claimed that such statements would be even more "unacceptable" if the entrepreneur were to assume a prominent role in the upcoming Donald Trump administration.

Musk reacts to arrest

Following Caplin's recent allegations and arrest on suspicion of child sex crimes, Musk reacted via his X account with a brief but blunt message, "What a creep."