Elon Musk has been excluded from the International Investment Summit, hosted by the UK Government in October, due to his controversial social media posts during last month’s riots. The decision comes after Mr. Musk used his platform to promote false claims, including suggesting that a civil war in the UK was “inevitable” and criticising the Prime Minister, following a stabbing attack in Southport that resulted in the deaths of three children.
The BBC reported that the billionaire entrepreneur has not received an invitation to the summit, which is being hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on October 14. The government aims to attract top chief executives and financiers to demonstrate that the UK is “open for business” following a period of political and economic unrest. Key players like BNY, Blackstone, and CyrusOne have confirmed their attendance, showing early support for the event.
Investment giant Blackstone has already sealed a £10 billion deal to establish Europe’s largest AI data centre in Blyth, Northumberland, setting a positive tone for the upcoming summit. Jon Gray, the firm’s president, is set to participate in roundtable discussions at the event hosted by Sir Keir. Despite having been a prominent guest at the UK Government’s Artificial Intelligence Safety Summit last year, where he was interviewed by then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Musk’s recent social media conduct has seemingly led to his exclusion from the current administration’s events.
Mr. Musk’s engagement with posts by controversial figurehead Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, and his dissemination of misleading information about the Southport stabbing incident were deemed irresponsible by Justice Minister Heidi Alexander and Sir Keir’s spokesperson. In particular, Musk’s posts hinting at a possible civil war in the UK and sharing a fabricated headline about rioters being sent to detention camps in the Falkland Islands have been met with widespread criticism.
The UK Government’s decision to snub Musk from the upcoming investment summit underscores the repercussions of spreading misinformation and divisive rhetoric, especially during times of social unrest. In light of these events, both the government and Mr. Musk have been approached for further comments on the matter, as the fallout from his controversial social media activity continues to unfold.