Elon Musk’s dad has said that people should ‘ignore’ his son if they disagree with his views as the tech billionaire continues to attack Britain’s Labour party via his X platform.
Errol Musk responded to the tycoon’s withering assault on Sir Keir Starmer and other senior figures in the party over their record on tackling the child sexual exploitation grooming gangs.
Musk Jnr has called for far-right leader Tommy Robinson to be released from jail, described Sir Keir as ‘evil’ and asked whether the genocide inflicted on the Yazidi people by ISIS could happen in Europe.
In a thinly veiled reference to the SpaceX founder, the prime minister responded by saying that those who are ‘spreading lies and misinformation’ are only ‘interested in themselves’.
Errol Musk said: ‘I mean, he’s just a person. The fact that he has money or something, he’s a billionaire or something to that effect.
‘I mean, hundreds of thousands of people are tweeting the same things or saying the same things as he is.
‘So I wouldn’t just because he’s a person that stands out more that they can knock him or just don’t listen to him, that’s all. I’d say don’t worry about it. Tell him to get lost.’
In a barrage of unsubstantiated claims, Musk Jnr has also targeted safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, describing her as a ‘rape genocide apologist’ and demanding that she be thrown out of parliament.
Having previously backed Nigel Farage, the tycoon changed tack after the Reform leader distanced himself from Robinson, claiming that he ‘does not have what it takes’ to lead the right-wing party.
Musk Snr, an engineer and businessman from South Africa, also shed some light as to why his son is so interested in British politics.
He recalled taking his son there for the first time aged six and Elon renting a castle in the UK to celebrate his 30th birthday.
Speaking to Tom Swarbrick on LBC, Errol took aim at the ‘draconian’ political and justice system in the UK.
He said: ‘If you’re a student of history, and I am a student of history, you would look at history and you would realise what’s going on there.’
Errol, 78, referenced the disorder after the Southport murders, claiming that people had been jailed ‘for making posts that any of us, would have done the same thing if our own countries had been in the same position’.
He described Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, as a ‘political prisoner’ and a potential future prime minister who is the ‘strong man’ that the UK needs.
Errol has had a strained relationship with his son. Elon’s mother, Maye Musk, has previously told the BBC that their child ‘grew up in a very violent home’ and described experiencing domestic abuse.
Errol has denied the allegations.
The X owner today retweeted a call by Rupert Lowe MP, viewed as an alternative Reform leader, calling for ‘swift and brutal justice’ for the grooming gangs.
Responding to the onslaught, Sir Keir said yesterday: ‘Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and wide as possible, they’re not interested in victims.
‘They’re interested in themselves. I enjoy the thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have.
‘But that’s got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies.
‘Not on those who are so desperate for attention that they’re prepared to debase themselves and their country.’
Labour ministers will soon have to reckon with Musk on a more formal footing, as he is being lined up for a senior position in Donald Trump’s incoming government.
Musk is due to co-lead the new Department of Government Efficiency, which the president-elect has said will ‘dismantle’ bureaucracy and ‘restructure federal agencies.’
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