Keir Starmer criticizes Elon Musk over divisive remarks following Henry Nowak’s death
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Elon Musk of trying to “whip up division” in Britain over the death of Henry Nowak, reports BritPanorama.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came after Musk, the owner of social media platform X, tweeted more than 100 posts concerning UK politics in the past week, focusing specifically on the Southampton murder.
Starmer condemned the tech billionaire’s interventions as tensions escalated over the handling of finance student Nowak’s tragic death. The accused, Vickrum Digwa, claimed to have been the victim of a racial attack, while Nowak’s family reported that police had ignored his pleas for help as he lay dying in handcuffs.
Speaking during a visit to York, Starmer stated, “We need to also assert who we are as a country, because Musk, again, has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division – that is not who we are in Britain. We are reasonable, tolerant people.”
Starmer emphasized the need for a calm response to such incidents, referring to the reactions of Nowak’s family as a model of composure during a profoundly distressing time.
In addressing the police response, he noted that “there are questions that need to be answered” and called for the Independent Office for Police Conduct to be allowed to carry out its investigation. He affirmed that it is essential to listen to Nowak’s family, who have requested that their son’s case not be politicized to incite division.
“They’re grieving, they’ve lost their son, and so everything I’ve tried to do in relation to this case has been grounded in what they must be going through,” Starmer added.
In a more intense reaction, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested that the public should respond to Nowak’s killing with “pure cold rage.” He also voiced support for Labour MP Jess Asato, who is pursuing legal action regarding deepfake images of herself, claiming Musk’s Grok chatbot was involved in their creation.
Starmer expressed his support for Asato’s actions, deeming the deepfake images “disgusting” and affirming the importance of tackling harmful content on social media platforms.
“I am really pleased that we took Grok on a few months ago, because that is the fight we should be in, taking on some of these platform providers and some of these disgusting images, really disgusting,” he said. “Jess is right; she is a parliamentarian. I am 100% behind the action that she has taken.”
The developments around Nowak’s death and the ensuing political discourse reflect ongoing tensions regarding crime, race, and the responsibilities of social media influencers and politicians alike.
In the wake of such incidents, the balance between public discourse and accountability within both political and social media arenas remains a pressing issue for many in the UK.
