Sky News Analysis Reveals How Right-Wing Accounts on X Influenced Elon Musk’s Interest in Grooming Gangs Scandal | UK News
The scandal involving grooming gangs has been a significant topic for over ten years, marked by various public inquiries and numerous prosecutions.
This issue seemingly went under the radar for the world’s wealthiest individual until just recently.
According to analysis from Sky News, it appears that only a small number of right-wing accounts on X sparked Elon Musk’s curiosity regarding this issue, which has sparked considerable discussion both online and offline.
The analysis illustrates the level of conversation surrounding grooming gangs and rape gangs on X prior to and following Musk’s engagement.
As a representative from the Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) noted to Sky News, “Discussions surrounding grooming gangs are a continuous undercurrent and a major rallying point for far-right groups.”
Musk’s engagement has significantly heightened interest in the topic, leading to over 40 million interactions since he became involved, as reported by Talkwalker, a social media analytics platform.
While condemning rape and grooming gangs is not inherently a far-right position—the entire British public largely shares this viewpoint—there are indications that Musk’s newfound focus on this issue is largely influenced by far-right and right-wing accounts on X.
His initial post on the matter dates back to New Year’s Eve, responding to an account he follows—which consists of fewer than 1,000 accounts—focused on immigration and crime statistics.
Sky News examined over 2,000 of Musk’s posts within this timeframe to identify the most impactful accounts that he interacts with, be it through replies or shares.
Noteworthy mentions include right-wing commentators and news aggregators, as well as Tommy Robinson, a prominent figure on the far right.
Tommy Robinson. File Pic: PA
The account that Musk has engaged with most frequently, Peter Sweden, has previously issued apologies for denying the Holocaust. Additionally, Ian Miles Cheong, a Malaysian commentator, and Visegrad 24, established by South African-Polish advertiser Stefan Tompson, are other prominent right-wing news accounts boasting millions of followers.
The ISD spokesperson conveyed significant concerns regarding the normalization of far-right rhetoric, which had previously been on the fringe.
More on this story:
Grooming gangs scandal timeline: What happened
Victims of grooming gangs can have inquiry if they want one, Jess Phillips says
Nigel Farage (R) and Musk. File Pic: PA
Consequently, the topic has consumed a considerable amount of Musk’s focus and time. Despite his many diverse interests, from space travel to demographic trends, our findings indicate that approximately one-third of his recent outputs on X have been primarily devoted to grooming gangs.
His engagement has notably included interactions with specific politicians in the UK, particularly in his attention towards the government’s safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.
Jess Phillips. File Pic: AP
His interactions also involve Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, whom Musk referred to as a “cretin.”
However, it is Rupert Lowe, a Reform UK MP, who has been the subject of Musk’s most frequent interactions.
Musk responded to him again today.
After expressing that Reform’s leader Nigel Farage lacked the necessary qualities, Musk appears to believe that Lowe does.
