Keir Starmer has criticized Elon Musk for allegedly meddling in British politics and fostering division, marking a notable shift in the government’s rhetoric regarding the owner of X. This statement comes after Musk’s numerous posts on his social media platform concerning the homicide of Henry Nowak, many of which have echoed far-right sentiments.
During an event in Yorkshire, where he was scheduled to meet with mayors from various English regions, Starmer emphasized the need for the UK to “define who we are” as “reasonable and tolerant individuals.” He commended Labour MP Jess Asato for her legal action against Musk’s XAI company, claiming that its Grok tool was responsible for generating fake sexualized images of her, part of a troubling trend of such content on X earlier this year.
Starmer remarked, “Jess Asato is absolutely justified in her legal action. Disturbing images were created, particularly in her case by Grok.” He warned Musk’s company that it would face severe regulatory consequences if it did not curb the dissemination of sexualized images, some involving minors.
He added, “I am truly grateful that we challenged Grok a few months ago because that is the battle we must engage in—confronting these platform providers about these abhorrent images. We were successful in that endeavor.” Starmer reiterated his support for Asato, stating, “Jess is correct; as a parliamentarian, I stand fully behind her actions.”
Starmer further asserted, “We must reaffirm our identity as a nation, especially as Musk has once again interfered in our politics in recent days, attempting to stir division. That is not reflective of who we are as British people.” He continued, “When faced with a tragic incident like the case of Henry Nowak, we respond with composure, as his family has done.” He emphasized the importance of confronting the grotesque content produced by Grok, stating, “We tackle Grok and fight against this because that’s the essence of our national character.”
Musk has frequently shared content that aligns with ethno-nationalist views and has expressed support for Restore Britain, a far-right party founded by Rupert Lowe, a former leader of Reform UK. Recently, Musk has claimed that the circumstances surrounding Nowak’s death, who was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, highlight a bias against white individuals in the UK.
The police watchdog is currently reviewing the actions of officers who restrained Nowak, aged 18, after he was attacked by 23-year-old Digwa, who falsely alleged that he had been racially insulted and assaulted by Nowak. On Tuesday night, eleven police officers and a police dog sustained injuries when crowds, including far-right provocateurs, clashed with law enforcement during an event described as a protest regarding Nowak’s death and the police’s handling of the situation.
In a separate legal claim filed in London’s High Court, Asato accused xAI, now a subsidiary of SpaceX, which also owns X, of violating data protection laws and misusing private information by allowing users to prompt Grok to create such images. Asato reported that Grok not only produced images of her in a bikini but also created a video depicting her being chloroformed and prepared for a sexual assault.
