Why Is Elon Musk So Engaged in UK Politics Despite His Busy Schedule? | UK News

It’s undeniable that Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual globally and a close associate of the US president-elect, leads a hectic life – even before a Tesla truck caught fire at the entrance of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas on January 1st.

Musk was spotted dancing at Donald Trump’s extravagant New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago. On top of that, he oversees a plethora of significant enterprises such as Tesla, SpaceX, Starlink, the Boring Company, Neuralink, and OpenAI.

Despite his busy schedule, he managed to express his thoughts on UK politics on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, which he acquired for $44 billion in 2022. His posts generally receive millions of views.

There seems to be no clear motive behind Musk’s recent involvement in British politics. He has also made headlines regarding German affairs, sparking controversy over the holiday season by endorsement of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party ahead of elections in February.

Hailing from South Africa and of English and Dutch descent, Musk moved to Canada, obtaining citizenship there before eventually becoming a US citizen in 2002. As Trump has noted, Elon is a natural-born foreigner, rendering him ineligible for the US presidency by constitutional standards.

The frequency of Musk’s opinions indicates a vigorous intent to utilize his influence to share his views broadly. Over recent months, he has targeted pressing political issues in the UK, including commentary on grooming gangs in the early days of 2025.

Some in the UK have welcomed him; Musk was a prominent guest at the then Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s AI summit in November 2023. Since then, he has shown interest in the Reform UK party. Before Christmas, Musk hosted Nigel Farage MP and Reform’s new billionaire treasurer, Nick Candy, at his current residence in Mar-a-Lago. The trio were photographed beneath a large, flattering portrait of Trump, although it remains unclear if they were granted an audience with him.

This visit raised speculation that Musk might make a substantial donation to Reform UK, akin to the hundreds of millions he donated to Trump’s successful campaign. Although the tech giant has dismissed such rumors, electoral laws prohibit foreign donations. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has downplayed the potential Musk contribution, affirming that any lawful funding would be welcome.

Conversely, the UK government has refrained from amending laws in response to Musk’s alleged funding. Ironically, Musk was quick to condemn Labour volunteers for aiding the Democrats during the US election campaign, claiming that Labour’s campaign chief Morgan McSweeney was “violating US criminal statutes against foreign interference in elections.”

Britain’s Online Safety Act of 2023 might explain Musk’s increasing critiques of UK authorities, which he has accused of fostering “a tyrannical police state.” X and similar platforms could face enormous fines of £18 million or up to 10% of their global revenue (whichever is greater) if found guilty of hosting disinformation or misinformation that incites violence or enflames public disorder.

His focus on the UK has intensified post-Labour’s general election victory last summer and amid public unrest following the tragic deaths of three young girls at a dance class in Southport. False allegations regarding the perpetrator circulated on X, including from accounts Musk had previously unblocked. When Sir Keir Starmer cautioned tech corporates that inciting violent disorder online is also a crime, Musk reacted with “Insane” on X, insisting later that “civil war is inevitable” in Britain.

Over 19 million listeners tuned in to Musk discussing the UK’s “prison overcrowding situation” on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He also chimed in on the topic “What on earth is going on in the UK?” in response to a right-wing American’s exaggerated discourse concerning an official report on Islamist radicalization in the UK.

Musk refers to himself as X’s “Chief Troll Officer”. Individuals from the UK he has engaged with online include Liz Truss, the populist academic Matt Goodwin, and Winston Marshall, the son of GB News owner Paul Marshall.

Despite his vocal advocacy for longer prison sentences, Musk has remarked on X that authorities should “Free Tommy Robinson,” implying that a controversial video by the English Defence League co-founder is “worth watching.” Robinson, who goes by his real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month sentence due to breaching a court order by repeating libelous allegations—in the banned video—against a young Syrian refugee.

Within the initial 36 hours of 2025, Musk’s posts on X included “a new election should be called in Britain,” “Vote Reform,” and “Shameful conduct by Jess Phillips. Throw her out.” The latter comment refers to Ms. Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, who overlooked a national inquiry into grooming gangs in Oldham.

Ms. Phillips contended that such an inquiry is a responsibility for the local council; Musk retorted that she “should be in prison.” His intervention has reignited discussions about the enduring scandal. Newly appointed Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch followed up on January 2 by insisting on “a full national inquiry into the rape gangs scandal.”

Ms. Badenoch’s response to Musk’s ongoing interference appears to be inconsistent. In November, during Prime Minister’s Questions, she held Starmer accountable using the online petition, which Musk had shared, advocating for a new general election. However, during a December appearance on Radio 4’s Today program, she stated: “We need to ensure we don’t have foreign states, undue influence, bad actors influencing our politics,” though she didn’t propose any measures to enhance the law.

As she gravitates towards some policies of Reform, the Tory leader supposedly criticized GB News for allowing too much airtime to Mr. Farage’s party. Ms. Badenoch has dismissed these claims, reported by a national newspaper, as “nonsense.”

Read more:
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Musk’s confrontations with the Labour government linger. At the end of last year, he dismissed ministers’ ambitions for boosted investments in the UK, including potential Tesla involvement, with a blunt statement on X that: “Very few companies will be willing to invest in the UK with the current administration.” Downing Street countered, insisting that Starmer’s government is “unapologetically” pro-growth.

For many, particularly younger males, Musk symbolizes a modern folk hero. Nonetheless, a recent UK poll revealed that 66% of those surveyed believe Musk “should not become influential” in British politics, including over half, 51%, of Reform UK supporters. Despite resistance to foreign involvement, it may be too late to prevent Musk’s impactful engagement in national discussions.

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Elon Musk evidently possesses profound insights into emerging technologies, such as AI, which he describes as “the most disruptive force in history.” He remarked to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that “one of the challenges in the future will be how we find meaning in life” due to a point when “no jobs will be required… AI will handle everything.”

As a new, challenging year begins, Musk is primed to gain even more influence as Trump’s efficiency tsar. The world’s richest individual is poised to become one of its major political figures. It remains to be seen whether his engagements in domestic matters will limit his involvement in global affairs. Perhaps his new superior will try to rein him in to avoid being eclipsed—but as it stands, he is currently making more headlines in the UK than any of our native politicians.