Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Monday described language used by Elon Musk at a London rally as "abhorrent," after the tech billionaire warned that "violence is coming to you" and urged a change of government.
Musk, joining the far-right "Unite The Kingdom" march by video link on Saturday, criticised what he called "massive uncontrolled migration" and said: "Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die." He also said there needed to be "a change of government in Britain" and called for "a dissolution of Parliament and a new vote held."
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mahmood said the comments were unacceptable. "Whether you're a hostile state or a hostile billionaire no one gets to mess with British democracy," she said, adding that the "vast majority" of people would react to Musk's words with "a shake of the head." Mahmood emphasised Britain's tolerance and diversity, saying people can be English whether their roots stretch back a thousand years or they "look like me."
A Downing Street spokesman echoed the criticism, saying: "The last thing the British people want is this sort of dangerous and inflammatory language which threatens violence and intimidation on our streets. I don't think the British people will have any truck with that kind of language and rightly so." When asked if the government would review its use of X, the spokesman said government communications were kept under review.
The event in central London drew a large turnout. Organisers of the Unite The Kingdom march, led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, said more than 150,000 people attended, while organisers of a counter-protest run by Stand Up To Racism estimated around 5,000 demonstrators. Speakers at the main protest voiced anti-immigration sentiments and invoked freedom-of-speech themes.
Political leaders from across the spectrum condemned Musk's rhetoric. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called the language "deeply irresponsible, deeply dangerous" and said British democracy was "too precious to be a plaything for foreign tech barons." On X, the platform owned by Musk, Sir Ed said Musk "doesn't care about the British people or our rights. He only cares about himself and his ego." Musk responded on the platform by calling Sir Ed "a craven coward."
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, asked about Musk's remarks at a press conference, said there was a "degree of ambiguity" in the comments. He added that if Musk's reference to a "fight" meant standing up for rights and free speech through elections, that would be the fight his party supported. Musk has publicly expressed support for Farage in the past and was reportedly in talks over donating to Reform UK, though earlier this year he said Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to lead the party.
The Liberal Democrats have urged the government to rule out awarding contracts to Tesla, the electric vehicle, battery and solar-panel company controlled by Musk. The call reflects wider concerns among some politicians about engaging commercially with a high-profile foreign tech figure after his intervention in a volatile domestic political event.
Musk's participation in the rally and subsequent comments have prompted debate about the role of wealthy international figures in British political life, the limits of acceptable public discourse, and how government and public institutions should respond when outside actors intervene in domestic debates. Government officials said communications channels and commercial relationships with technology firms would continue to be reviewed in light of the incident.