Britain’s opposition is so invisible these days that you could be forgiven for thinking it doesn’t exist. Labor Prime Minister Keir Starmer appears to have no one capable of holding his government accountable. After last year’s election defeat, the Conservatives are a shipwreck without a captain – rudderless, clueless and still hungover from 14 years of power. They don’t seem to be calming down any time soon.
And yet, Starmer isn’t sleeping easily at all. Because, the void left by Britain’s hapless opposition has been enthusiastically filled by none other than the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. Stepping in with a storm of tweets – or should we say, an X-avalanche – on New Year’s Day, Musk called on the King to dissolve Starmer’s government and call fresh elections. Then, for good measure, he accused Starmer of failing to prosecute grooming gangs and demanded that Security Minister Jess Phillips be fired.
Starmer gets opposition
It seems like the anti-Starmer was never asked for, he has arrived with a tech billionaire’s signature flair for political drama and, of course, a strong hint of disrupting British politics. Starmer responded to Musk’s accusation that he ignored child abuse cases as chief prosecutor between 2008-13. Musk also took an interest in far-right activist Tommy Robinson and called for his release despite his criminal record and controversial past. Currently, he is serving an 18-month prison sentence on defamation charges and is being kept in solitary confinement.
Musk’s post has focused public attention and sidelined UK government priorities such as NHS reform. There is no doubt that the Tesla owner is focused on British politics. Musk had already declared the new British government his enemy after riots broke out following the fatal stabbing of children in Southport last summer. Subsequently, he claimed that “civil war was inevitable” in Britain and nicknamed the Prime Minister “Tootierkier”, referring to a far-right conspiracy theory about unequal policing.
His latest comments have sparked serious controversy in the UK, with Health Secretary (Minister) Wes Streeting dismissing them as “misjudgment and misinformation”. Streeting pushed for Starmer’s reforms in 2013 to improve prosecution standards for child abuse cases. The British media appears to be defending its Prime Minister. One columnist called Musk a “South African anarcho techno-futurist”, referencing his South African origins. Starmer also hit back at Musk, saying without naming him, “The people who are spreading lies and misinformation as far as possible are not interested in the victims. They are interested in themselves.”
The Home Office is reportedly keeping a close eye on Elon Musk’s social media activity to assess his reach, influence and potential harm. According to British media, the purpose of this surveillance is to stay ahead of any challenges posed by “non-state actors”.
‘Grooming gangs’ controversy
The investigation into Musk’s post began after his controversial comments about the security of minister Jess Phillips. The American tech billionaire branded him a “rape-genocide sympathizer” and called for him to be sentenced to prison. Phillips, who has long been an advocate against violence toward women who previously ran a domestic abuse shelter, revealed that Musk’s comments have led to an increase in threats against her.
Despite this, Musk calls for a new public investigation and immediate elections. The grooming gang inquiry is an uncomfortable thorn in the side of the government. Musk, ever the provocateur, merely reiterated what critics of the British establishment have been saying: Why hasn’t a new national investigation into these networks been launched?
Fair questions – critics have every right to demand answers about why systemic child abuse, ignored by police forces, councils and the Conservative government for 14 years in the run up to the 2024 election, has not been properly addressed. But wait a second. None other than Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has now suddenly become a champion of justice, conveniently calling for a fresh national investigation following Musk’s intervention. He claims that “nobody in authority has joined the dots”. In fact? Someone might want to remind him that he and his party had a full 14 years in power to “get together”. Who stopped them?
The issue Musk has raised is a serious one – child abuse by grooming gangs is too significant to be treated as a billionaire’s personal hobby. It has been the subject of significant scrutiny in the UK, with several investigations at national and local level highlighting systemic failures and patterns of abuse. But I support a full and thorough, nationwide investigation because I believe gangs still exist and officers are still failing in their duty to bust them and protect young girls. Here’s a snapshot of the inquiries so far:
- The Jay Report (2014): The report, commissioned by Rotherham Council, revealed the horrific sexual abuse of more than 1,400 children in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
- Independent investigation into child sexual exploitation (2014–2022): This wide-ranging investigation examined institutional failings in England and Wales, including responses to grooming gangs. This highlighted the lack of a reliable database and inconclusive facts but confirmed that the issue extends beyond northern cities to different parts of the UK.
- Local Inquiry: Councils in cities such as Rochdale, Oxford and Newcastle launched their own reports following high-profile cases. These investigations exposed repeated systemic failures by police and social services to address grooming and exploitation.
The perception that most perpetrators of grooming gangs are of Pakistani origin (often from Mirpur in PoK) stems from cases in areas such as Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford. However, official findings complicate this narrative. A 2020 review of offender characteristics by Home Office Research found that offenders came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, with the majority being white men, consistent with the UK demographic composition. The report stressed that there was no credible evidence that grooming was unique to any one ethnic group. Furthermore, while many of the perpetrators in high-profile cases in the north of the country were of Pakistani origin, others included white criminals and even some white women who allegedly lured victims to these gangs. . There have been convictions relating to grooming gangs across the UK, including in cities such as Rochdale, Rotherham, Oxford and Newcastle. The convictions include individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Many observers say that gangs of Pakistani origin are mostly organized and work together, while criminals from other communities operate alone. In all investigations, systemic failure of authorities to investigate cases remains common.
Musk is a threat to Europe
From endorsing Germany’s far-right AfD on his platform to taking a dig at Britain’s leaders, he is stirring debate about democracy, accountability and the unchecked influence of tech giants. On January 9, he hosted a live “Space” chat with Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and their chancellor candidate. With German elections scheduled for February 23, the move is widely seen as an attempt to influence the political tide. The AfD, with about 20% of the vote, has moved into second place, but remains a pariah player for Germany’s mainstream parties, which refuse to engage with it. However this has not stopped Musk from associating with the AfD, despite his anti-immigration rhetoric and skepticism of the EU.
Musk’s political mischief is not limited to Germany or Britain. He has been rubbing shoulders with other European far-right figures, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, raising eyebrows among Europe’s centre-left leaders. Critics worry that his growing influence is less about protecting democracy and more about destabilizing it.
A threat to election integrity?
Musk insists that his actions are a good exercise of freedom of speech, but his critics are not buying it. He accused them of promoting far-right narratives and using X to suppress dissenting voices. These claims are now subject to investigation by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act (DSA). If Musk’s intervention violates the DSA, his platform could face hefty fines – or even a ban in the EU.
Late last year, Musk also took aim at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him an “idiot.”olaf is a nerd“) in a post that added fuel to an already heated political discourse. Scholz and Green Party candidate Robert Habach have openly criticized Musk’s interference, with Scholz warning against external threats to German democracy.
Making matters more complicated, Musk’s new role as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency in the US under President Trump makes his foreign political statements seem like an extension of US policy. Is Musk playing the role of disruptor for his own benefit or as a de facto emissary for Trump’s administration?
why attack
Musk has presented his actions as a crusade against the “woke mind virus” and centralized authority, but critics argue it is more about power and profit. Germany, home to one of Tesla’s largest factories, could be another pawn in the chessboard of Musk’s business interests. Similarly, their attacks on UK leaders easily align with the debate over tech regulations that could affect their platforms.
His critics say Musk’s interventions – which he brands as ‘free speech’ – go beyond sparking debate and instead deepen divisions, empower extremists and create a breeding ground for misinformation. promote. By dominating political discourse, he puts himself and his platforms at the center of the global conversation, no matter the cost to Europe’s delicate political balance. The question now for Europe is how much influence are they willing to cede to a tech billionaire with a penchant for stirring the pot?
,Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with over three decades of experience with the Western media).
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
