Elon Musk’s claim that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK is “totally unjustified”, a government minister has said, after the billionaire clashed with Sir Keir Starmer over the remarks.
Musk, the owner of X, has been engaged in a war of words with the prime minister over riots gripping the UK, amid concerns online disinformation is fuelling the unrest.
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In a comment on his social media site below a video of rioters setting off fireworks at police, Musk said “civil war is inevitable”.
This was quickly rejected by the PM’s spokesperson, who said there is “no justification for comments like that” and “anyone who is whipping up violence online will face the full force of the law”.
Musk then replied to a social media post from Sir Keir who had criticised violence towards Muslims, with the tech entrepreneur saying: “Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on *all* communities?”
Courts minister Heidi Alexander told Sky News that “everyone should be calling for calm in this situation”.
“So I do think the language around civil war being inevitable is totally unjustified,” she added.
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‘Perpetrators to be identified at first opportunity’
Rioters outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham on Sunday. Pic: Reuters
Former government minister Rory Stewart criticised Musk’s comments, posting on X: “Seriously?
“Since when have you claimed to understand British communities or British politics? Exactly how many days have you spent with these communities?
“Does it ever occur to you that this might perhaps be the wrong time to sound off about a subject you know nothing about?”
Armando Iannucci, creator of The Thick of It, posted in response to Musk’s comments about civil war, saying:
“Tomorrow morning you’ll see the people who live here tidy these streets up.
“Small gangs of thugs do not a mass movement make.
“You’ve been taken in by your own platform, which amplifies noise at the expense of facts.”
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Mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers have been among the targets of far-right rioters across the UK over the past week.
Former police chief Neil Basu has said the worst of the far-right violence should be treated as terrorism.