Starmer Urges Elon Musk to Refrain from Interfering in UK Political Affairs
By Alistair Smout
Starmer Responds to Musk's Comments Amid Political Tensions
Background of the Incident and Public Reaction
LONDON, June 4 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday said Elon Musk should stop interfering in British politics, after the billionaire X owner posted on his platform about a murder that has triggered a public outcry and protests.
Last year, 18-year-old Henry Nowak was handcuffed by British police as he lay dying from stab wounds after his killer falsely alleged a racist attack. The killer, a Sikh man, was sentenced on Monday.
Video footage released after the sentencing showed officers ignoring the pleas of a dying, innocent man and has sparked anger and a political storm about how police treat different ethnicities.
Starmer's Criticism of Protests and Political Exploitation
Starmer has said police had serious questions to answer about their handling of the incident, but condemned a violent and disorderly protest that took place on Tuesday night and said it was "unforgivable" to exploit the death to stir tension.
"Musk again has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division. That is not who we are in Britain," Starmer told reporters.
X did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Starmer's words. The exchange comes as Musk's SpaceX prepares to float what could be the most valuable initial public offering ever.
Musk's Allegations and Social Media Activity
Musk Accuses UK Police of Bias
Musk had posted about the case on X, suggesting police are biased against white people, and reposting other users' critical comments about how the incident had been handled.
"The West has created an utterly evil state religion where an accusation of 'racism' is the gravest offense that can be committed, even worse than rape or murder!" he posted on Wednesday.
The police and government have rejected accusations of bias in policing.
Family's Response to the Incident
Nowak's family, who met privately with Starmer on Thursday, called his treatment by police "inhumane and degrading" but said after the sentencing that his death should not be "used to create further division, hatred or tension."
History of Starmer and Musk's Disputes
Previous Criticisms and Legal Actions
Musk has been critical of Starmer before, including in January 2025, accusing him of failing in his role as chief public prosecutor between 2008 and 2013 to prosecute gangs of men, mostly of a South Asian background, who sexually abused girls.
Starmer has defended his work in that role.
He has also backed a lawmaker in his Labour Party who is suing Musk's xAI after she said the Grok AI platform was used to create fake sexualised images of her. Starmer has previously criticised Grok over such images, prompting X to take steps to comply with UK law.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by William James and Rod Nickel)
