How the richest man is boosting the British right

(news.sky.com)

9 points | by msangi 3 hours ago

6 comments

  • graemep 2 hours ago
    I think its important to balance this with Elon's failures to influence British politics.

    He is widely loathed.

    The only British political movement to be willing to take his money is the extremist, but also marginal, EDL (the organisation lead by Tommy Robinson).

    He offered a huge donation to Reform but this was turned down because he made it a condition of the donation that Tommy Robinson was allowed to join Reform. This leaves him with no party capable of winning even a single seat in parliament being willing to take his money.

    I do not doubt that Musk is trying to use X to influence British politics. I do doubt he is having much success.

    • stevesimmons 1 hour ago
      And paradoxically, the more he tries to influence British politics, the more people become aware of his efforts, and think more negatively of him.

      Plus who in UK would buy a Tesla now? Other than because it was discounted.

      • graemep 24 minutes ago
        Musk is only just the largest shareholder in Tesla, however he is CEO and very strongly associated with the brand so he has damaged the company's image.

        On the other hand, people are happily buying Chinese cars without caring about the ethics and politics of China or the companies they buy from, which are even worse.

    • rhetocj23 1 hour ago
      The great irony is, come election time, the support for Labour will be stronger to prevent any chance of Reform gaining control of parliament.
  • beardyw 1 hour ago
    Musk is well off target. His recent reference to "hobbits" in the shires being unwary missed the fact that that demographic more or less defines the membership of Reform, and they exhibit a wild fear of foreigners.
  • sippeangelo 2 hours ago
    The article is titled "How Elon Musk is boosting the British Right". For "some" reason Sky is self-censoring their title, but not for Twitter, weirdly enough.

        <title>HOW ELON MUSK IS BOOSTING THE BRITISH RIGHT</title>
        <meta name="twitter:title" content="HOW ELON MUSK IS BOOSTING THE BRITISH RIGHT ">
        <meta property="og:title" content="How the world's richest man is boosting the British right">
  • Yeul 1 hour ago
    People keep harping on about the evil Chinese but they seem distinctly less interested in our internal affairs than US billionaires.

    I'm not really worried for my own country though. Nobody here ever pointed to the US and said "I want that".

  • ktr1827k 1 hour ago
    The incumbent British parties are free to fix the economy, build housing, stop foreign wars and make energy cheaper. They don't want to.

    The problem is, neither does Musk. We know now that the above talking points of the U.S. Republicans were just election rhetoric. What we got is an oligarchy that takes foreign bribes and gives government money to friends and family.

    Musk just got his NASA candidate Isaacman nominated. Isaacman of course is a billionaire, just like Trump, Musk, Lutnick, Ramaswamy, Kushner, Witkoff and others. Isaacman will direct state money towards SpaxeX just like Kushner and Witkoff will benefit from their Gaza "master plan" (wording accidentally leaked by Witkoff in an interview to the dismay of Kushner).

    The problem that Labour parties in the EU have sold out since Blair/Schroeder cannot be fixed easily. Musk however is not the solution.

    • rhetocj23 1 hour ago
      Why are you afraid to post this under your proper handle? lol