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European leaders hit back in Elon Musk meddling row
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer slammed those “spreading lies and misinformation” following days of incendiary posts by Musk on his X platform over historical sex offences against children in northern England, AFP reported.
Musk, who is set for a role in Trump’s administration, then accused the center-left Labour leader of being “deeply complicit in the mass rapes” and “utterly despicable”.
European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron have also weighed in against Musk.
He said the SpaceX boss was “directly intervening in elections”, including in Germany where Chancellor Olaf Scholz has condemned the Tesla boss for backing an extreme-right party.
Scholz on Saturday condemned Musk for “erratic” comments after the billionaire labelled the German leader an “incompetent fool” and came out in support of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) ahead of snap elections on February 23.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Monday he found it “worrying” that someone with so much wealth and influence was getting involved in the politics of European countries.
Much of Musk’s focus in recent days has been on Britain and historical scandals involving grooming gangs that first emerged during Starmer’s 2008-2013 tenure as the country’s top prosecutor.
The comments pose a major challenge for Starmer’s government, as it tries to fend off growing support for the far-right while also seeking to maintain good relations with Trump’s incoming administration.
Musk’s tirade, which included demands for a new public inquiry into the scandal, has prompted some UK opposition politicians to join in the criticism and call for a fresh national probe.
The issue has long been seized upon by far-right figures including the imprisoned Tommy Robinson, one of Britain’s best known far-right agitators, whom Musk has praised and said should be released from jail.
Responding to media questions on the topic, Starmer insisted he was “not going to individualise this to Elon Musk” but said “a line has been crossed” with some of the online criticism.
The grooming scandal involved the widespread abuse of girls in northern English towns, including Rochdale, Rotherham and Oldham.
A series of court cases eventually led to the conviction of dozens of men, mostly of South Asian origin. The victims were vulnerable, mostly white, girls.