The UK opposition is so invisible these days you might be forgiven for thinking it hardly exists. Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems to have no one capable of holding his government to account. After last year’s electoral thrashing, the Conservatives are a shipwreck without a captain—rudderless, clueless and still hungover from their 14-year binge on power. They do not appear to be sobering up anytime soon.
And yet, Starmer isn’t exactly sleeping easy. Because, the vacuum left by Britain’s hapless opposition has been enthusiastically filled by none other than the world’s richest man, Elon Musk. Stepping in with a storm of tweets— or, should we say, an X-avalanche—on New Year’s Day, Musk called for the King to dissolve Starmer’s government and hold a fresh election. Then, for good measure, he accused Starmer of failing to prosecute grooming gangs and demanded that safeguarding minister Jess Phillips be locked up.
Starmer Gets An Opposition
It looks like the opposition Starmer never asked for has arrived, with a tech billionaire’s signature flair for political drama and, surely, a strong hint of disrupting British politics. Starmer responded to Musk’s accusation against him that he had ignored child exploitation cases as chief prosecutor between 2008-13. Musk also stirred up interest in far-right activist Tommy Robinson, calling for his release despite the latter’s criminal record and controversial past. Currently, he is serving an 18-month jail term for defamation and being kept in solitary confinement.
Musk’s posts have shifted public focus, sidelining the UK government’s priorities, such as the NHS reforms. No doubt the Tesla owner seems fixated on UK politics. Musk had already declared the new British government his enemy last summer after riots broke out following fatal stabbings of children in Southport. Back then, he claimed “civil war was inevitable” in Britain and nicknamed the Prime Minister “TwoTierKeir”, referring to a far-right conspiracy theory about unequal policing.
His latest comments have sparked serious controversy in the UK, with Health Secretary (minister) Wes Streeting dismissing them as “misjudged and misinformed”. Streeting emphasised Starmer’s reforms in 2013 to improve prosecution standards for child abuse cases. The British media appears to be defending their prime minister. One columnist called Musk, “the South African anarchic tech-futurist”, referring to his South African origin. Starmer, too, hit back at Musk and without naming him said, “those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims. They’re interested in themselves.”
The Home Office is reportedly keeping a close eye on Elon Musk’s social media activity to assess its reach, influence and potential harm. According to British media, this monitoring aims to stay ahead of any challenges posed by “non-state actors”.
The ‘Grooming Gangs’ Controversy
The scrutiny of Musk’s posts began after his controversial comments about safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips. The US tech billionaire labelled her a “rape genocide apologist” and called for her imprisonment. Phillips, a long-time advocate against violence towards women who previously ran a domestic abuse refuge, revealed that Musk’s remarks have led to an increase in threats against her.
Despite this, Musk demands a new public inquiry and immediate elections. The grooming gangs inquiry is an uncomfortable thorn in the government’s side. Musk, ever the provocateur, has merely echoed what critics of the British establishment have been saying: why hasn’t a fresh national inquiry into these networks been launched?
Fair question—critics have every right to demand answers about why systemic child exploitation, ignored by layers of police forces, councils and the Conservative government for 14 years until the 2024 election, hasn’t been properly addressed. But wait a second. None other than Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, suddenly a champion of justice now, is calling for a fresh national inquiry, conveniently after Musk’s intervention. She claims “no one in authority has joined the dots”. Really? Someone might want to remind her that she and her party had a whole 14 years in power to “join the dots”. What stopped them?
The issue Musk has raised is serious—child abuse by grooming gangs is far too important to be treated as a billionaire’s personal hobby. It has been the subject of significant scrutiny in the UK, with numerous investigations at national and local levels shedding light on systemic failures and patterns of abuse. But I support a full and thorough, countrywide inquiry because I believe the gangs still exist and the authorities are still failing in their duty to bust them and protect young girls. Here is a snapshot of inquiries that have happened so far:
- The Jay Report (2014): Commissioned by Rotherham Council, this report revealed the horrifying sexual exploitation of over 1,400 children in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013
- Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (2014–2022): This broader investigation examined institutional failings across England and Wales, including responses to grooming gangs. It highlighted the lack of a credible database and inconclusive facts but confirmed the issue extended beyond Northern towns to various parts of the UK.
- Local Investigations: Councils in towns such as Rochdale, Oxford, and Newcastle commissioned their own reports following high-profile cases. These investigations exposed repeated systemic failures by police and social services in addressing grooming and exploitation.
The perception that the majority of grooming gang offenders are of Pakistani origin (often from Mirpur in POK) stems from cases in regions like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford. However, official findings complicate this narrative. A 2020 review of offender characteristics by the Home Office Research found that offenders came from diverse ethnic backgrounds, with the majority being white men, consistent with the UK’s demographic makeup. The report emphasised that there was no reliable evidence to suggest that grooming was unique to any one ethnic group. Also, while many offenders in high-profile cases in the north of the country were of Pakistani descent, others included white offenders and even some white women who reportedly lured victims for these gangs. Convictions related to grooming gangs have occurred across the UK, including in towns such as Rochdale, Rotherham, Oxford and Newcastle. Convictions have included individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. What many observers say is that the grooming gangs of Pakistani origin are mostly organised and work in tandem, whereas offenders from other communities work solo. Across investigations, what has remained common is a systemic failure of authorities to investigate the cases.
Musk Is Europe’s Menace
Fresh off leveraging his platform X and enjoying cosy ties with Donald Trump, Musk is now bringing his unique brand of an influencer of sorts to the Atlantic. From backing Germany’s far-right AfD to taking swipes at UK leaders, he is sparking debates about democracy, accountability and the unchecked influence of tech titans. On January 9, he hosted a live “Spaces” chat with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) and their chancellor candidate. With German elections due on February 23, this move is widely seen as an attempt to sway the political tide. The AfD, polling around 20%, has climbed to second place but remains an untouchable player for Germany’s mainstream parties, which refuse to be associated with it. Though that hasn’t stopped Musk from cosying up to the AfD, despite its anti-immigration rhetoric and EU scepticism.
Musk’s political mischief isn’t confined to Germany or the UK. He’s been rubbing shoulders with other European far-right figures, including Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, raising eyebrows among Europe’s left-of-centre leaders. Critics worry his growing influence is less about defending democracy and more about destabilising it.
A Threat To Electoral Integrity?
Musk insists his actions are a noble exercise of free speech, but his critics aren’t buying it. They accuse him of using X to amplify far-right narratives, drowning out dissenting voices. These claims are now under investigation by the European Commission under the Digital Services Act (DSA). If Musk’s meddling breaches the DSA, his platform could face hefty fines—or even a ban in the EU.
Late last year, Musk even took aim at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him a “fool” (“Olaf ist ein Narr”) in a post that added fuel to an already fiery political discourse. Scholz and Green Party candidate Robert Habeck have openly criticised Musk’s interference, with Scholz warning against external threats to German democracy.
Complicating matters further, Musk’s new role in the US under President Trump, as co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency, makes his foreign political statements look a lot like extensions of US policy. Is Musk playing disruptor-in-chief for his own gain, or as a de facto envoy for Trump’s administration?
Why The Onslaught
Musk frames his actions as a crusade against the “woke mind virus” and centralised authority, but critics argue it’s more about power and profit. Germany, home to one of Tesla’s largest factories, might just be another pawn in Musk’s chessboard of business interests. Similarly, his attacks on UK leaders conveniently align with debates over tech regulations that could impact his platforms.
His critics say that Musk’s interventions—something he brands as ‘free speech’—go beyond sparking debate and instead deepen divisions, empower extremists and fuel a breeding ground for misinformation. By dominating political discourse, he keeps himself—and his platforms—at the centre of global conversations, no matter the cost to Europe’s fragile political balance. The question for Europe now is, how much influence are they willing to cede to a tech billionaire with a penchant for stirring the pot?
(Syed Zubair Ahmed is a London-based senior Indian journalist with three decades of experience with the Western media)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author