Labour’s simmering row with Elon Musk has been reignited on the eve of Donald Trump‘s state visit.
Downing Street on Monday accused the tech billionaire of spreading ‘dangerous and inflammatory’ language, saying his rhetoric during a surprise appearance at an anti-migrant protest in London at the weekend threatened ‘violence and intimidation’.
The Tesla and X owner told demonstrators at the march organised by hard-Right activist Tommy Robinson that ‘violence is coming’ and you either ‘fight back or die’, while also calling for a change in the UK government.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The UK is a fair, tolerant and decent country. The last thing the British people want is this sort of dangerous and inflammatory language.’
He said it threatened ‘violence and intimidation on our streets’, adding: ‘I don’t think the British public will have any truck with that kind of language.’
Mr Musk clashed with Keir Starmer‘s government numerous times last year during the Southport riots and over grooming gangs.
The fresh row comes ahead of the President’s trip to the UK in which he is reportedly planning to put freedom of speech at the top of his agenda.
Sir Keir could face a showdown with Mr Trump, who is due to arrive in the UK tonight for an unprecedented second state visit.
Downing Street has accused the tech billionaire of spreading ‘dangerous and inflammatory’ language, saying his rhetoric during a surprise appearance at an anti-migrant protest in London at the weekend threatened ‘violence and intimidation’
Elon Musk appeared via video link at the Unite The Kingdom rally in London on Saturday to call for ‘revolutionary government change’
Mr Musk clashed with Keir Starmer’s government numerous times last year during the Southport riots and over grooming gangs
They will meet at Chequers on Thursday for talks in which Sir Keir will lobby to remove steel tariffs and discuss the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Top of the agenda for the US President, however, is said to be freedom of speech after recent rows over several high-profile arrests in the UK.
A source close to Mr Trump told The Independent that he ‘berated Keir Starmer over free speech’ during talks over the summer at the President’s Turnberry golf resort.
The source said: ‘There is absolutely no doubt that free speech is going to be one of, if not the top issue, when the two hold talks.’
Mr Musk appeared via video link at the Unite The Kingdom rally in London on Saturday to call for ‘revolutionary government change’.
He took part in a Q&A with Mr Robinson while thousands watched and listened.
New Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the rally was ‘proof that we live in a country where free speech, free association, is alive and well’.
The fresh row comes ahead of the President’s trip to the UK in which he is reportedly planning to put freedom of speech at the top of his agenda. Pictured: Trump held a letter from King Charles when he met with the PM in February
Sir Keir is likely to repeat this message to the President and has previously defended Britain’s record on free speech.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said Britain’s democracy is ‘too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons’.
Reform leader Mr Farage said the ‘context’ in which Mr Musk’s words had been used left a ‘degree of ambiguity’.
‘If the fight that Musk was talking about was about standing up for our rights and free speech, if it was about fighting in elections to overcome the established parties, then that absolutely is the fight that we’re in,’ he said.