The world’s richest person, Elon Musk, has been left off the guest list for the UK government’s International Investment Summit following his controversial social media posts during last month’s riots, the BBC reports.
Violence erupted across the UK after a tragic stabbing incident in Southport resulted in the deaths of three children attending a dance class. Musk, the tech entrepreneur, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to predict civil war in the UK and launch repeated attacks on the prime minister.
The upcoming summit in October is a crucial event for PM Keir Starmer, who aims to attract billions in inward investment from major global investors. Musk had attended last year’s event and played a prominent role in November’s AI Summit, engaging in a fireside chat with then PM Rishi Sunak.
However, Musk’s inflammatory comments during the August riots, including sharing and later deleting a conspiracy theory about the UK building “detainment camps” on the Falkland Islands, have led to his exclusion from this year’s summit. Government officials and Musk have been approached for comment on the matter.
The UK government views the summit as a significant opportunity to boost foreign investment and stimulate economic growth, especially in the wake of the Budget announcement just two weeks prior. The Labour Party had pledged to host the event within its first 100 days in office.
Musk, who owns or operates X, Tesla, and SpaceX, has previously expressed concerns about Brexit and its impact on his business decisions. He has been actively involved in similar summits in France, where he recently attended a lunch with top executives and President Emmanuel Macron.
Under Musk’s ownership of X, he has lifted bans on far-right figures, sparking controversy and calls for stricter regulations on online content. The UK is now considering a tougher Online Safety Act in response to the role of misinformation in the August riots.
Elon Musk, with an estimated net worth of $228 billion according to Bloomberg, has been a prominent figure in the tech industry for over two decades. Born in South Africa, Musk has gained attention for his entrepreneurial ventures and outspoken views on various topics.
Despite his past political affiliations, Musk has recently aligned himself with former President Donald Trump, endorsing him for a second term in 2024. His exclusion from the UK investment summit reflects the government’s stance on his controversial social media behavior and its potential impact on foreign investment opportunities.
