UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has expressed that Tesla, led by Elon Musk, would be welcome to invest in the UK, despite recent tensions surrounding Musk’s social media activity. This statement comes after the BBC reported that Musk had not been invited to the upcoming International Investment Summit due to his controversial posts during last month’s riots in the UK.
“I encourage investment from anywhere,” Starmer stated in an interview with the BBC, emphasizing his commitment to attracting substantial investment into the UK economy. He added, “Good investment into the UK is what I’m very, very keen to promote.”
Starmer made these remarks while visiting New York, where he addressed the United Nations and engaged with business leaders, including Donald Trump. He highlighted his determination to secure investment through regular investment breakfasts held during international trips. “I do think we’ve got a real opportunity with a new chapter now,” he noted.
The upcoming summit is a pivotal moment for the UK, with hopes of drawing tens of billions of pounds from global investors. Musk, who was invited to last year’s event but did not attend, had a prominent role at the November AI Summit, including a discussion with then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Former Conservative Chancellor and current Shadow Chancellor Jeremy Hunt criticized the absence of Musk at the summit, stating, “It’s a big loss.” He recalled Musk mentioning plans for a new car plant in Europe, with the UK being a potential location.
Tensions escalated when Musk criticized the UK government on social media, stating, “I don’t think anyone should go to the UK when they’re releasing convicted pedophiles in order to imprison people for social media posts.” His comments followed a series of riots in August, during which several individuals were jailed for inciting unrest online. Musk had predicted civil war in the UK and shared conspiracy theories about detainment camps, prompting ministers to label his remarks as “totally unjustifiable” and “pretty deplorable.”
