‘We must make clear that no individual, however wealthy or powerful, can get away with using their platform to inflame tensions and incite violence.’
Elon Musk has been blasted by Lib Dem leader Ed Davey for inciting violence when speaking to the crowd at a Tommy Robinson march at the weekend.
The world’s richest man appeared via video link at the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, telling the crowd: “You’re in a fundamental situation here where whether you choose violence or not violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die, that’s the truth.”
In his speech, Musk also called for the dissolution of Parliament and for a change of government. He also said migration is causing the “destruction of Britain”.
An estimated 110,000 people attended the far-right march on Saturday 13 September.
Davey has written to prime minister Keir Starmer calling on him to publicly condemn Musk’s remarks.
The Lib Dem leader wrote that Musk’s attempts “to sow discord and incite violence on our streets represent a serious and dangerous interference in our democracy”.
He warned: “We must make clear that no individual, however wealthy or powerful, can get away with using their platform to inflame tensions and incite violence.”
He said Musk’s actions undermine Britain’s tradition of resolving disputes peacefully through debate, elections, and the rule of law.
“The recent conduct of Elon Musk – deliberately spreading misinformation, stoking anger and encouraging violence – represents a reckless and dangerous assault on those values,” Davey added.
The tech billionaire has repeatedly expressed his support for far-right Islamophobic activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
In January, Musk accused Keir Starmer’s government of covering up historic child sex abuse cases.
Musk also shared a baseless claim on social media that a Home Office memo had circulated in 2008, which advised police not to intervene in child grooming cases because victims had “made an informed choice about their sexual behaviour”.
There is no evidence that a document containing this advice ever existed, and the Home Office said there “has never been any truth” to the allegations.
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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