Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has expressed confidence despite labeling Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, as a “criminal.” Davey called for an investigation into Musk’s platform, alleging a lack of child protection measures. When questioned about retracting his statement, Sir Ed adamantly refused during an interview with Sky News.
Party CEO Mike Dixon has reportedly been consulting with legal experts following Davey’s remarks made on television. Davey refuted claims of prejudicing the courts and asserted readiness to face any potential lawsuit from Musk, stating his belief that Musk would not succeed in such an endeavor.
In response to the situation, Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrats’ foreign affairs chief, affirmed that the party would address any legal challenges in due course. Miller emphasized that the party would not be intimidated by Musk’s actions.
Sir Ed demanded that Musk be brought before Parliament after making controversial statements at a rally organized by Tommy Robinson. Musk’s remarks urging right-wing individuals to “fight” or “die” and predicting violence in Britain sparked widespread criticism.
Accusing Musk of criminal behavior, Davey highlighted concerns about harmful content on Musk’s platform, including advertisements promoting self-harm and child exploitation. The Liberal Democrats plan to file a motion to summon Musk to appear before MPs, utilizing an obscure Parliamentary rule last used in 1957.
Davey aims for Musk to be publicly scrutinized in the House of Commons for his perceived negative impact on British politics. If successful, Musk would have to stand at the bar, a symbolic boundary non-MPs cannot cross during Commons sessions, akin to the actions taken against journalist John Junor in the past.
In a forthcoming speech at the party conference, Davey is expected to denounce Musk’s interference in democracy, attributing it to ego, power, and wealth rather than genuine concern for people’s rights. Davey accuses Musk of evading responsibility for the harm caused by his platform, particularly to children, and criticizes Musk’s opposition to the Online Safety Act as self-serving.
Davey concludes that Musk’s actions reflect a disregard for free speech and a desire to maintain control over his platform without being held accountable for its detrimental effects.