The boss of Tesla and SpaceX once again attacked Keir Starmer's government in the United Kingdom on X. In a message published on the social network, he also called for the release of a far-right activist.
New fascinating outing for multi-billionaire Elon Musk. The man who is no longer presented for his political positions has once again shown himself to be close to the extreme right in the United Kingdom. This Thursday, January 2, the boss of Tesla and SpaceX attacked the British authorities and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in a burst of messages on his social network “civil war” East “inevitable” in the country, and claims that foreign investors are now fleeing the country. In his eyes, the big bad guy is none other than Keir Starmer, whom he accuses of leading “a tyrannical police state”.
“Free Tommy Robinson!” can we especially read about the businessman's X account. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was sentenced at the end of October 2024 to 18 months in prison for violating a 2021 court decision which prohibited him from repeating defamatory remarks against a Syrian refugee. The man is known to be a central figure of the British far right. In 2009, he founded a small group from the hooligan movement, the English Defense League, and has already been convicted on several occasions, notably for disturbing public order. Tommy Robinson is followed by more than a million people on X, a social network from which he was banned before being reinstated after the takeover by Elon Musk. The far-right figure is accused of stoking anti-migrant violence during the summer.
Since Labor's return to power and the anti-migrant and Islamophobic riots which shook the country in the summer of 2024, Elon Musk has increased his comments on British news. In his latest tirade, the owner of Most of those responsible were men from Pakistan and the authorities were blamed for not having taken stock of this affair, fueling far-right discourse on police “two-speed”. A reason for Elon Musk to set fire to X: “In the UK, serious crimes like rape require approval from the Prosecution Service (CPS) before the police can charge suspects. Who was in charge of the CPS when gangs of rapists were able to exploit young girls without having to face justice? Keir Starmer.”
Increasingly invested in European far-right parties
In the United Kingdom, the conservative opposition is worried about Elon Musk's connections with the far right and in particular his rapprochement with the anti-immigration Reform UK party. In mid-December, the Tesla boss received Nigel Farage, the head of Reform UK, in Florida at Donald Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago. “The question of money was discussed,” the English MP then said Daily Telegraphsuggesting possible financing of his party by the billionaire.
Elon Musk's influence in far-right parties extends to Europe, beyond the United Kingdom. In a column published in The world on Sunday on December 29, he showed his support for the German far-right party, the AfD, which according to him represents the “last glimmer of hope” of the country. A position taken just a few weeks before the German federal elections. As for his calls for the release of Tommy Robinson, they were, for example, relayed by figures of the extreme right outside Great Britain, such as in the Netherlands by the leader of the Freedom Party (PPV), Geert Wilders.
