In early 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced an unexpected challenge. At the start of the new year, Elon Musk posted a series of strongly worded messages on social media, publicly accusing the British Prime Minister, plunging the UK government into a public dispute. This sudden turmoil cast a shadow over the new year, creating immediate political ripples.
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02-13, 2025In the days that followed, the world's richest man revived long-standing, controversial [grooming gang scandals](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3w69p2vz0lo) and called for the release of far-right agitator Tommy Robinson, who has a large following on social media. Musk's actions have sparked widespread attention and debate, drawing criticism from various political and social commentators.
The tech billionaire, who played a significant role in the campaign of then-U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump, has posted or reposted more than 50 messages about UK child sex abuse cases on the X platform this week. He has called for the removal of Starmer and his minister in charge of child protection, demanded new elections, and even called for King Charles III to unilaterally dissolve Parliament—a situation that has not occurred in nearly two centuries and would inevitably trigger a constitutional crisis.
These topics reflect Musk's latest focus, but his discontent has been brewing for some time. As Trump's inauguration approached, the owner of the X platform increasingly intervened in European politics and openly praised far-right figures on the continent. He has repeatedly [condemned the EU's](https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-x-blasts-undemocratic-eu-new-european-commission/) institutions and policy decisions, and the Italian president has warned him to stop interfering in the country's internal affairs, demonstrating the breadth of his political engagement.
Musk now poses a delicate new challenge to British political leaders. Starmer is struggling to court Trump's favor while hoping to curb the growing influence of the UK Reform Party at home, a populist, anti-immigration party that Musk has indicated he supports. However, the dispute may have already burned Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who had openly sought Musk's financial support, but Musk reversed course on Sunday because Farage failed to support his stance on Robinson, highlighting the volatility of Musk's political alliances.
The conflict between Musk and Starmer's Labour government did not begin this week. He previously called Britain a "police state" for its government's crackdown on far-right rioters who sparked violent clashes on the country's streets over the summer. He has long mocked Starmer on his platform and recently praised the UK Reform Party. Since its founding in 2018, the party has capitalized on public dissatisfaction with the country's two major parties and now rivals them in opinion polls, showing its growing influence.
He has also been meddling in the affairs of other European politicians. Last week, the German government accused Musk of trying to influence the country's February elections by supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The party has been accused of reviving Nazi-era ideologies and slogans, and its youth wing has been designated as an extremist organization by German authorities, indicating the severity of the accusations.
Musk's growing fascination with Tommy Robinson has now made the billionaire an icon of the UK's online far-right community. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October after admitting to contempt of court for repeating false allegations about a Syrian refugee, further cementing his controversial status.
For most in Westminster, Musk's anger—like that of many online trolls—remains just a sideshow. One Labour MP told CNN that they "anticipate a major falling out between Musk and Trump." The MP added that when using Musk's platform, they "noticed the usual post-New Year right-wing energy, they are frustrated. It's unseemly, but that's populism." A few MPs have discussed whether to stop using the X platform due to concerns about content moderation, reflecting the growing unease surrounding Musk's platform.
But privately, some Labour MPs are asking themselves an obvious question: why us? Unlike Germany, the UK does not have an imminent parliamentary election, and Musk cannot exert influence through elections. The UK's election is at least four years away, and the Labour government is relatively unpopular, but it is very solid, at least in parliamentary terms, prompting speculation about Musk's motivations.
For Starmer, Musk cannot be completely ignored. So far, the Prime Minister has resisted Musk's bait—the billionaire accused him of failing to act against grooming gangs during his time as a public prosecutor—but MPs will eventually want to see him take a stronger stance to protect his ministers from online abuse, highlighting the growing pressure on Starmer to respond.
Musk has repeatedly called this week for the imprisonment of Starmer's child protection minister, Jess Phillips—calling her "pure evil" and a "wicked creature" on Saturday—because she prioritized a local inquiry in Oldham over a national one, a policy approach that is not a criminal offense, raising concerns about the intensity of Musk's attacks.
Another Labour MP told CNN: "Musk and others must not be given the opportunity to undermine the government elected by the British people—only they can criticize." They added: "It is clear that (his) growing interest in British politics must be recognized, especially when social media is used to manipulate voters," emphasizing the need to address Musk's influence.
Meanwhile, the United States is Britain's closest and most important ally—and Musk appears to be the closest and most important ally of the incoming U.S. leader. Labour is desperate to build trust with a Trump administration; being snubbed by the president-elect would only benefit Farage, and working with Trump has huge economic appeal, such as exemption from his tariff regime, underscoring the high stakes involved.
Comments from Starmer's ministers reflect this dilemma. Health Secretary Wes Streeting made a cautious comment to reporters on Friday: "I think some of the criticisms that Elon Musk has made are unwise and certainly ill-informed, but we are willing to work with Elon Musk, and I think he can play an important role on his social media platform to help us and other countries tackle this serious problem," indicating a willingness to engage despite the criticisms.
It remains unclear how much influence Musk will have on Trump's decision-making—especially in foreign policy, which is entirely outside his official remit as co-head of the new administration's efficiency department. But his remarks are already having some impact in the UK—exposing fault lines in a deeply divided and unusually vulnerable political landscape, showing the tangible effects of his interventions.
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch immediately called on the X platform for a "full national inquiry into the grooming gang scandal... long overdue." But her authority on the issue, as on many others, is limited by her own involvement in a ousted but deeply unpopular Conservative government. In fact, that government commissioned a years-long inquiry into child sex abuse that concluded in 2022. But the head of that inquiry subsequently [criticised the former government's response to her findings](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy0lmek4m8no "criticised the former government's response to her findings"), which included a key recommendation that child sex abuse should be mandatory reported, undermining her credibility.
The long-term legacy of the Conservative era has enabled Farage to successfully position his movement as the "real" opposition in Britain, and Musk's growing interest in the UK Reform Party offers Farage an opportunity to further elevate his own profile. The populist leader unsurprisingly condemned Badenoch's comments and aligned himself with much of Musk's rhetoric. He has spoken openly about hoping to secure Musk's financial support ahead of the local elections in May, where the UK Reform Party is expected to perform well.
Speaking about Musk on GB News, Farage said: "He will help us enormously because he is a heroic figure, especially for young people who really admire the man." "He is helping us because he is giving us insights into how we did it in America. That is very useful to us," highlighting the potential benefits of Musk's involvement.
But there are also dangers for Britain's populist agitators. Echoing Musk's support for Robinson was a step too far for Farage, who told GB News: "(Musk) thinks Robinson is one of those people who fights against grooming gangs. But of course, the fact is that Tommy Robinson was jailed not for that, but for contempt of court," showing the limits of their alignment.
Speaking of Robinson, Farage said: "We are a party that aims to win the next general election. He is not what we need." Shortly afterwards, Musk appeared to turn his back on the leader. "Reform UK needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes," Musk posted on Sunday, signaling a significant shift.
"Well, that's a surprise! Elon is a remarkable person, but on this point, I'm afraid I disagree," Farage responded. "My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not fit for Reform UK and I will never sell my principles," reaffirming his stance despite Musk's criticism.
For key political figures in Britain's ideological divide, Musk presents a heady mix of opportunity and risk. His tendency to express fondness for far-right figures is unlikely to garner much popular support in Britain, which, unlike some European countries, has not seen the emergence of a significant far-right political movement—a fact that Farage will remember even as he continues to court the American tycoon's financial support.
But in government, publicly snubbing Musk is not yet an option. The delicate nature of Starmer's relationship with Trump may depend on maintaining a distance from the billionaire—as long as that possibility remains, highlighting the complex balancing act required of Starmer.
