Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has not been invited to the UK government’s International Investment Summit due to his social media activity during last month’s riots, according to the BBC.
The violence erupted following a stabbing in Southport that claimed the lives of three children attending a dance class. Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), predicting civil war in the UK and criticizing the prime minister.
The October summit is crucial for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who aims to secure tens of billions in foreign investment from major global investors. Musk attended last year’s event and participated prominently in November’s AI Summit, where he had a fireside chat with then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
During the riots, Musk shared and later deleted a conspiracy theory alleging that the UK was constructing “detainment camps” for rioters on the Falkland Islands. Ministers described his comments as “totally unjustifiable” and “pretty deplorable,” which the BBC understands is why he hasn’t been invited to the October 14 event.
Scheduled just two weeks before the Budget, the summit is seen as a significant opportunity to attract foreign investment to bolster the UK economy. The Labour Party had committed to holding this event within its first 100 days in office.
Under the previous Conservative government, Musk, who owns X, Tesla, and SpaceX, was discreetly shown potential UK sites for a gigafactory for cars and batteries. He has indicated that Brexit influenced his decision to open a site in Germany instead.
Musk is a familiar face at similar French summits; in July, he participated in a three-hour lunch with top executives and President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the Olympics.
Since taking over X, Musk has lifted the ban on far-right figures, including the Britain First group. The UK government is now considering a tougher Online Safety Act in response to misinformation’s role in the riots.
As for Musk’s background, he has built a considerable fortune, with Bloomberg estimating his net worth at around $228 billion, largely from his Tesla shares. Musk’s entrepreneurial journey began in South Africa, where he sold homemade chocolate Easter eggs and created his first computer game at the age of 12.
Despite previously identifying as “half-Democrat, half-Republican” and politically moderate, Musk has recently aligned more with Donald Trump, officially endorsing the former president for a second term in 2024 after his attempted assassination.
