Elon Musk Criticizes UK After Reportedly Being Snubbed from Investment Summit

LONDON — Elon Musk has lashed out at the UK after reports surfaced that he was not invited to an upcoming investment summit in October. The US billionaire took to his X platform (formerly Twitter), criticizing the UK government, alleging that they were releasing convicted pedophiles while imprisoning individuals for social media posts.

The BBC reported that Musk was left out of the summit following controversial posts on X regarding violent, anti-immigration riots in Britain in August. Britain’s Department for Business and Trade, as well as the Treasury, did not comment on either the BBC report or Musk’s reaction.

In response to the snub, Musk posted on X: “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 remark came after the UK released over 1,700 prisoners earlier in September to address prison overcrowding, though sex offenders were not part of this release.

Musk’s comments about Britain in August, which included a claim that civil war was “inevitable,” had drawn widespread criticism, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson, who condemned the remarks. The riots that month saw far-right groups attack hotels housing asylum seekers and mosques, leading to over 1,000 arrests, with some individuals jailed for inciting racial hatred online.

The upcoming investment summit will feature leaders from major global tech and financial companies, including BNY Mellon and Blackstone. The Labour government, in power since July, is aiming to attract international investors to revive the economy. Musk had previously participated in France’s “Choose France” summit in May and was last seen in the UK at the AI Safety Summit in 2023.