Elon Musk's political gambit: Challenges for Starmer's labour
Elon Musk, the American billionaire and reported associate of the future U.S. President Donald Trump, is reportedly seeking ways to challenge the Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, according to the "Financial Times," which cites sources close to the head of SpaceX and Tesla.
Musk is looking for methods to undermine the Starmer government that extends beyond his aggressive online posts targeting Labour Party politicians. "He believes Western civilisation is under threat," one source told the FT.
According to the newspaper, the billionaire is considering whether it might be possible to garner support for an alternative political movement - such as the populist-right Reform UK party - and change the prime minister's position before the next elections.
In the UK's parliamentary political system, prime ministers hold office because they lead the party with the most members of parliament. In recent decades, several prime ministers have achieved significant majorities in elections, but soon after, they had to step down due to waning support, the "FT" noted.
Last week, Musk criticised the British authorities, calling for a national investigation into the cases of mass exploitation and rape of girls by gangs mainly comprised of men of Pakistani descent. The practice continued for years, particularly in towns in northern England. When the scandal was exposed by the press nearly 20 years ago, it emerged that local authorities and services, which should have protected the victims - the police, social services, etc. - were passive, partly out of fear of being accused of racism.
Musk accused Starmer, who at the time was responsible for cases involving child sexual exploitation at the prosecutor's office, of sharing responsibility for the British "rape crisis." It criticised then-minister Jess Phillips, who rejected the Oldham city council's call for a national investigation into the rape gangs operating in the Manchester area, labelling her a "genocide by rape apologist."
Starmer strongly rejected Musk's criticism. He stated that those who "spread lies and misinformation" are not concerned with the victims but rather their gain. Phillips accused Musk of endangering her life.
Over the weekend, Musk distanced himself from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, undermining Farage's hopes for a significant donation from the billionaire to his party soon. He stated that "The Reform UK party requires a new leader." According to "FT" sources, Musk was exploring potential candidates to replace Farage as the party leader, assessing what mechanisms could be used.
"I'm not going to war with Musk"
Reform UK has gained increasing popularity in recent months. Public opinion polls indicate that 22% of the public supports it. The ruling Labour Party currently holds 28% support, while the Conservatives have 24%.
On Tuesday, Farage downplayed the significance of his disagreement with the billionaire in a radio interview. He stated that he would meet with him in January. "I have no desire to go to war with Elon Musk and I’m not going to," he said.
