A call for the U.K. to release far-right activist Tommy Robinson has come from Elon Musk, who has reignited his ongoing dispute with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer through a series of social media posts.
On Thursday morning, Musk, the owner of the social platform X and a notable figure within President-elect Trump’s circle, expressed that British authorities should “free Tommy Robinson.”
Robinson, the founder of the far-right English Defense League, received a sentence of a year and a half in prison in October 2024 for breaching a court order that prohibited him from making defamatory claims against a Syrian refugee.
Musk also shared messages asserting that Robinson is a “political prisoner.”
The police in the U.K. attributed the unrest to Robinson’s English Defense League, which played a role in triggering a week of rioting throughout England and Northern Ireland.
This turmoil was ignited after social media users mistakenly identified a suspect in a stabbing spree as an immigrant and a Muslim. However, the actual assailant in the tragic attack, which resulted in the deaths of three young girls in Southport, was a 17-year-old British national.
In his follow-up posts, Musk directed his criticism at Starmer’s history as the former director of Public Prosecutions, referencing the grooming scandals that were brought to light in 2013. He claimed that only Nigel Farage’s Reform U.K. party could “save” Britain.
“Serious crimes such as rape in the UK require the Crown Prosecution Service’s [CPS] consent for police to charge suspects. Who led the CPS while rape gangs exploited young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013,” Musk stated on X.
As the director of Public Prosecutions, Starmer advocated in 2013 for a complete reevaluation of how sexual abuse cases are handled in the U.K.
The Hill has reached out to No. 10 Downing St. and the Home Office for their comments. In response to Musk’s remarks, the Labour Party released a statement on Thursday defending its handling of the various sex abuse scandals that have affected the nation in recent years.
Musk has intensified his criticism of the U.K. and Starmer’s Labour government, urging for new elections in the country. Nonetheless, Starmer, who won a sweeping election just six months ago, is not required to call for another election until 2029.
Last August, the prime minister’s office responded to Musk’s comments regarding violent disturbances in Northern England, disputing his claim that “civil war is inevitable.”
Labeling the U.K. a “tyrannical police state,” Musk has commented on the country’s struggles with violent unrest. He also suggested on X that the “current administration” was responsible for halting financial inflows into the nation.
In December, Musk was seen with Farage at the president-elect’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Farage informed reporters that Musk might consider donating to his Reform U.K. party, with British media speculating the amount could reach as high as $100 million.
Criticism from Musk, however, has not been limited to the U.K. Recently, the German government has accused the billionaire of attempting to influence its February elections following his op-ed supporting the far-right political party Alternative for Germany.
