The BBC reports that Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, has not been invited to the UK government’s upcoming International Investment Summit, following controversial social media posts during last month’s riots.
The riots erupted across the UK after a fatal stabbing in Southport that claimed the lives of three children attending a dance class. Musk, the tech mogul behind companies like Tesla and SpaceX, took to X (formerly Twitter), where he predicted civil war in the UK and criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The October summit is seen as a crucial opportunity for Starmer to secure significant foreign investment, with the event expected to attract the world’s leading investors. Musk had attended last year’s summit and played a prominent role at the November AI Summit alongside then-PM Rishi Sunak. Both Musk and the UK government have been contacted for comments on the decision.
During the August riots, Musk shared—and later deleted—a conspiracy theory on X about alleged “detainment camps” being constructed on the Falkland Islands for rioters. Government ministers condemned his remarks as “deplorable” and “unjustifiable,” which is believed to be the reason behind his exclusion from the summit on October 14.
The summit is part of the Labour Party’s pre-election commitment to host such an event within 100 days of coming to power. The government hopes it will serve as a key moment to boost the UK economy by attracting foreign investment.
Under previous Conservative leadership, Musk was quietly shown potential UK sites for a Tesla giga factory, but he has since stated that Brexit played a part in his decision to open a facility in Germany instead. Musk is a regular at similar summits in France and met with President Emmanuel Macron in July.
Musk’s ownership of X has been marked by controversy, including lifting bans on far-right figures like the Britain First group. His platform has also been linked to misinformation during the August unrest, prompting discussions in the UK about a tougher Online Safety Act.
Musk, with an estimated net worth of $228 billion according to Bloomberg, has consistently used his platform to voice opinions on a wide range of subjects. The majority of his wealth is tied to his 13% stake in Tesla, whose stock saw a dramatic rise in 2020.
The 53-year-old South African-born entrepreneur, who became a U.S. citizen in 2002, has long resisted political labels. While previously supporting Democratic candidates like Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in recent years he has shown support for Donald Trump and endorsed him for the 2024 presidential race following an assassination attempt.
