Paymaster general Nick Thomas-SymondsA minister has warned that everyone who incites violence online is still subject to the law after he was questioned over Elon Musk.
The billionaire X boss has repeatedly criticised the UK government over the recent far-right riots, claiming “civil war is inevitable” and calling the PM “two tier Kier”.
That’s a right-wing conspiracy theory which claims the UK is more lenient towards protesters of colour than white demonstrators – something the government and the police have vehemently denied.
On ITV’sGood Morning Britain on Friday, paymaster general Nick Thomas-Symonds was asked how the government may respond to Musk’s interventions.
Co-host Kate Garroway said: “What can you do about that? Can you ban X in this country, can you take him to task, or are you powerless?”
The minister referred to the Online Safety Act which is yet to come into effect in full, but Garroway pushed: “How will that affect Elon Musk though?”
“There are substantial parts of the Online Safety Act which are yet to come into effect,” he said, pointing to large financial penalties which will be pinned on the major social media bosses for not removing illegal content.
Social media has also been in the spotlight since the riots started, because much of the violence was galvanised by misinformation shared on online platforms.
The government has been calling for social media bosses like Musk to increase policing on the platforms.
But, “the fines aren’t going to influence someone as rich as Elon Musk,” Co-host Rob Rinder pointed out, as the presenters asked again what the government’s “message” to Musk was, after millions of people saw his posts.
The minister replied: “It’s not so much messages to him, but – however wealthy they may be – to everyone who is using the online space.”
“Our message to online platforms, irrespective of where the Online Safety Act is at the moment, you have a duty to keep your platform users safe,” he continued.
“We can have a perfectly legitimate and important policy discussion that we have to get right about regulating the platforms and the tech giants, but that doesn’t change the fact that as of today, people going out inciting violence, online, organising violence, threatening violence online, the armchair thuggery if you like, today, that is a criminal offence.
“And, if that is happening in this country, you should think again about doing it, as the police will come for you just as they did on the streets.”
It’s worth noting that Musk is thought to be based in the US right now.
Thomas-Symonds also condemned the recent threats from a Labour councillor.
During a counter-protest in Walthamstow on Wednesday evening, Ricky Jones was filmed telling the crowd that the far-right demonstrators “need to have their throats cut.”
He was quickly suspended from the Labour Party and then arrested by police.
Asked for the government’s take on the incident, Thomas-Symonds told BBC Breakfast: “He was immediately suspended from the Labour Party, in terms of the criminal proceedings, I understand the individual was arrested.
“I”m not going to comment on the proceedings while they’re ongoing until they’ve reached their conclusion.
“But moving away from the individual case, whoever you are, if you are engaging in violent behaviour on our streets or in threatening behaviour or indeed if you are engaging in threatening and inciting behaviour online, the police will be coming for you.
“And you should be expected to be treated very quickly by our criminal justice system, whoever you are.”
He echoed this message on Sky News, saying: “The law applies equally to everybody... you will face the full force of the law whoever you are.”
Naga Munchetty, "What is your reaction to the Labour councillor who said far right demonstrators need to have their throats cut?"
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) August 9, 2024
Nick Thomas-Symonds, "He was immediately suspended from the Labour party.. He has now been arrested.. Whoever you are, if you are engaging in violent… pic.twitter.com/K8SdoQW2lV
