As Donald Trump’s inauguration draws closer, Elon Musk’s spectre has begun to loom larger and larger over British Political discourse. His latest foray into our politics is a stark reminder for Keir Starmer that he will continue to be a thorn in his side and a significant threat to his control over the narrative within this county. While the rumoured £100m mega donation for the Reform Party donation may be on hold, Musk and Trump will attempt to draw MAGA inspired political lines in British politics for however long their political marriage lasts.
Musk’s comments over the more than decade old British grooming gangs scandal and the freedom rally cries for imprisoned Tommy Robinson dominated the British news cycle for the best part of a week. The resurrection of this scandal represents a modern hijacking of public opinion Keir Starmer has yet to tackle. While British political discourse has always been shaped and moulded by the capital of wealthy individuals like Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper empire and Arron Banks Brexit Campaign, Musk has a far more scattergun and unpredictable approach. Musk, much like Trump, will without warning publicly throw venomous political darts to see what sticks on the board. His personal and emotionally charged attacks on politicians, such as labelling Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey a snivelling cretin, and his rehashing of old scandals make it hard for Labour to predict and disarm the emotionally charged discourse he wants to shape.
Musk in the last six months has called for Keir Starmer to resign, warned of an English Civil War over the summer riots, and encouraged the toppling of the Labour Government. This indicates his complicity and willingness to emotionally charge and poison politics within British without much care for the consequences. According to the Financial Times, Musk has been meeting with trusted aids to discuss ways for Starmer to be removed before the next election, exhibiting a total disregard for democratic process. Additionally, his praise of Labour MP Dan Carden breaking rank from Starmer’s grooming scandal stance seems to indicate his desire to encourage parliamentary rebellion.
His ownership of X, one of the most important public spheres in political discourse, and position as the richest person in the world means this problem will not go away even if British politicians currently wish to stick their head in the sand.
Why this type of discourse is corrosive is because it signifies agenda setting dynamics in British politics being transferred away from UK based actors and institutions to a wealthy foreign individual. The power to hijack debate also threatens principle of equal representation in British politics. A distortion of democratic processes and public opinion forming threatens to create a crowding out effect from other parties who can’t hope to have as much limelight or coverage. The inflammatory nature of his rhetoric also threatens to further polarise British Politics in a manner seen in the United States, without any meaningful accountability.
While our more inflammatory figures like Nigel Farage also pride themselves on not adhering to political norms, he is bound by our own parliamentary and Ofcom rules along with an electorate who hold him to account. Musk has no such accountability and therefore responsibility in politics. As a result, this encourages him to spread lies with impunity, such as suggesting Tommy Robinson was in prison for “telling the truth”, wilfully ignoring Robinson’s own admission to contempt of court. Meta’s recent announcement that they are abandoning their own fact checking process signifies the online public sphere will be increasingly shaped in Musk’s image. While the introduction of the Online Safety Act will attempt to address the ‘Wild West’ landscape of X, this current lack of accountability enables Musk to hurl pot shots over the pond without much concern over where or how they land.
British politicians may shrug their shoulders at this external pressure, but Musk’s position in the second Donald Trump administration means this form of discourse will receive added legitimacy. His lead role in the Department of Government Efficiency will embolden Musk to aggressively lobby his interests into the British system. Equally Musk may use his considerable influence over Trump via his $250 million donation to influence American foreign policy towards Britain.
It’s not a big leap to picture Musk using X as an auxiliary force alongside Trumps word of mouth to exert immense pressure on British politicians to reshape their foreign policy stance. Should Trump push for a ceasefire in Ukraine and be met with resistance by NATO allies, Musk could use X as a platform to lobby the UK to halt their aid spending to Ukraine. Musk has indicated a similar desire to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible, with the possibility of relinquishing Ukrainian territory, a position the British Government have so far declined to accept
Trump’s recent bully tactics of refusing rule out military action in Greenland and the Panama Canal must further concern officials within 10 Downing Street. They must be beginning to wonder if Britain will experience similar bully tactics when America attempts to exercise its influence over it’s foreign policy direction, should a schism arise in their doctrines.
The USA heavily influencing Britain’s political direction is certainly nothing new in the ‘special relationship’. However, Musk’s unpredictable and unaccountable personal attacks on X alongside Trumps bully tactics will create a painful headache for the Labour Government over how their relationship and dealings with the USA will be impacted. Starmer must be privately hoping Trump and Musk’s relationship ends in a spectacular divorce like many of Trumps high profile appointments, rather than a long and fruitful alliance.
