A UK government minister has publicly told Elon Musk to "mind his own business" after the Tesla CEO made a series of controversial comments about British politics. Lord Hanson of Flint, a Home Office minister, condemned Musk's remarks as "borderline incitement of violence" during a session in the House of Lords.
Musk addressed more than 100,000 protesters at a rally in central London on September 13 via video link. The event was led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. Speaking to the crowd, Musk called for a «dissolution of parliament» and a «change of government». He also made inflammatory statements about violence, saying: «Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.»
Lord Hanson delivered a sharp rebuke to the billionaire's intervention in British politics. «The people of Great Britain will choose the next government in maybe three-and-a-half or four years' time, not some billionaire foreigner,» he told peers in the House of Lords. «So I would suggest he buys a book on the British constitution out of his money, he reads it, he understands how it works, and he minds his own business.» The minister emphasized that Britain had elected a Labour government less than 16 months ago with more than 400 Members of Parliament, adding that Musk «has no mandate in this country, no interest in this country's future and should, quite frankly, stay in the States and count his cash.»
Rally consequences
The September 13 demonstration resulted in 23 arrests and left 26 police officers injured, with four seriously hurt. In the week following the march, more than 150 reports of anti-Muslim hate were made to the Tell Mama charity. Downing Street had previously described Musk's words as "dangerous and inflammatory."
Lord Hanson said he would «welcome much silence from Mr Musk» while defending his right to express opinions. However, he criticized Musk for aligning himself with «individuals who are trying to destroy much of the fabric of British society». The minister stated that any potential police action against Musk should he visit the UK would depend on independent police judgment.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
