ELON Musk has not been snubbed by Sir Keir Starmer and is “very welcome” in Britain, a top minister has declared.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle dismissed reports the billionaire was left off the guest list for the UK”s International Investment Summit due to a spat with the PM.
He told Times Radio Mr Musk was not invited due to his tendency to avoid such events.
Today’s summit is a key moment for the Government, which hopes to drive tens of billions of pounds in inward funding for business from the world’s biggest investors.
The Science Secretary said: “Elon Musk has never come to any of the past investment summits that have been held under the previous government, he doesn’t tend to do these sort of events, but I stand absolutely ready to engage with him, to talk about any potential global investments he’s making – I’m not aware of any at this moment in time.”
He later told the BBC Mr Musk would have been “very, very welcome” at the summit if he had open an “investment programme that we could have latched on to”.
Mr Kyle went on: “We would love to engage with Elon Musk.
“If he opens up an investment programme and there is global competition for it, believe me we will be first in line, I will be first in line knocking on his door to try and get that investment here.”
Mr Musk was invited to last year’s event but did not attend.
However, he took a prominent role in November’s artificial intelligence (AI) Summit, which included a sit-down chat with former prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Last month, Mr Musk blasted reports he had not been invited to the Government’s International Investment Summit.
He wrote on X: “I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts.”
The billionaire owner of X had also used his platform previously to suggest civil war in Britain was “inevitable”, and to criticise Sir Keir as rioting broke out over summer.
At the time, Downing Street slapped down his claims, insisting there was “no justification” for them.
