Elon Musk tweets probed by UK counter-extremism unit as alarm raised over threat to Britain

The Government’s counter-extremism unit has been assessing the risk posed to Britain by tweets shared by Elon Musk in recent weeks, the Mirror understands.

The tech billionaire has been using his platform X/Twitter to launch a barrage of attacks on the Labour government over the grooming gangs scandal. It comes as extremism experts warn that the toxicity of social media could once again trigger violence on our streets.

The Mirror understands the Home Office has stepped up extra monitoring to assess content and the reach of what is being shared on social media site X, especially in relation to accounts with large followings – including Mr Musk’s. The counterterrorism unit has been involved in content analysis and wider risk assessment.

The unit sits within the Homeland Security Group, whose “mission is to reduce national security risks to the UK’s people, prosperity and freedoms”. “It focuses on the highest harm risks to the homeland, whether from terrorists, state actors, or cyber and economic criminals,” according to the official government website.

A government source told the Mirror: “We keep a close eye on how disinformation and hate can proliferate, including online.”

It is understood monitoring has been ramped up following Mr Musk’s vile attacks on safeguarding minister Jess Phillips. Ms Phillips has admitted Mr Musk – a key aide to Donald Trump – was “endangering” her after labelling her a “rape genocide apologist” and calling for her to be jailed. She has reportedly had close protection officers assigned to her and has been advised not to go out in public alone following the increased threats to her safety.

Mr Musk’s criticism erupted after the Labour government rejected a call for a new national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. The PM, who has said victims need “action” not more inquiries, hit out at “those who are spreading lies and misinformation” on Monday and said the billionaire had “crossed a line” after his abuse led to Ms Phillips receiving serious threats.

Fears over Mr Musk’s interference in UK politics increased on Thursday after reports emerged that he was looking at ways to replace Keir Starmer as Prime Minister. Sources told the Financial Times Mr Musk believes that “western civilisation itself is threatened” and is examining how he can destabilise the Labour government beyond his aggressive X posts.

Joe Mulhall, director of research at campaign group Hope not hate, said “clearly this is naked foreign interference” and that Mr Musk “comfortably sits within any definition of an extremist”. He told the Mirror: “He is an international extremist and if he wasn’t a billionaire and he wasn’t close to the Trump administration, I imagine, probably wouldn’t even be allowed into the UK at the moment.

“Both the behaviour of Mr Musk himself and the platform that he has created, and the levels of toxicity on that platform have already contributed to extreme violence on the streets of Britain, and there is a strong chance as we’ve seen time and time again, that when you allow these online spaces to become this extreme and this toxic, people go and kill people.”

According to the government’s latest definition, extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance that aims to negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others or to undermine, overturn or replace the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights. It can also include action that intentionally creates an environment for others to achieve the former two options.

John Woodcock, the government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, told the Mirror: “Britain’s democracy isn’t a play thing for foreign billionaires – Elon Musk needs to back off and concentrate on his rockets and his cars or whatever he wants to obsess about next. Our electoral laws rightly forbid foreign donations and my recent review warns against our information channels being deliberately manipulated from abroad. We should be watching closely to ensure that doesn’t happen here.”

Former defence minister John Spellar warned that it is “not unknown” for oligarchs to try to influence a country’s political state. “It is not unknown. It may be a modern manifestation – it may be that social media amplifies this – but very rich, powerful people over a long, long time tried to sway other countries,” he told the Mirror.

Lord Spellar said he did not want to appear “complacent” but suggested Mr Musk’s influence on social media may be “impactful” but not last long. He suggested a “clash of egos” between Mr Musk and Donald Trump could see the pair fall out or that the businessman, who also owns Tesla, could face a commercial backlash from the car industry.