Starmer accuses Elon Musk of ‘trying to sow division’ in UK over Henry Nowak murder case | Today’s news
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused billionaire businessman Elon Musk of meddling in British politics and trying to stir up controversy following public outrage over the police’s handling of the murder of teenager Henry Nowak.
The remarks came after Musk posted a series of messages on X that criticized British police and suggested they were biased against white people in their response to the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton.
Starmer: Musk is ‘trying to whip up a division’
Speaking to reporters on Thursday (June 4) after meeting Nowak’s family in Downing Street, Starmer condemned what he described as Musk’s attempts to capitalize on the tragedy.
“We also need to reaffirm who we are as a country because Musk has again been interfering in our politics in the last few days trying to whip up division. That’s not who we are in Britain,” Starmer said.
The prime minister contrasted Musk’s comments with the response of Nowak’s family, who have repeatedly urged people not to use the case to fuel social tensions.
“In Britain we are reasonable, tolerant people,” added Starmer.
“When we have a terrible case like Henry’s … we react calmly, as his family did.”
The murder case ignites a political firestorm
The controversy centers around the killing of Henry Nowak, who was stabbed to death in Southampton in December 2025.
His attacker, 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa, falsely claimed to police that he was the victim of a racist attack. Body camera footage later showed officers handcuffing Nowak as he lay mortally wounded after accepting Digwa’s account of events.
The tape, released after Digwa’s conviction this week, sparked widespread criticism of police behavior and reignited debates about race, policing and public trust in law enforcement.
Digwa was sentenced on Monday to a minimum of 21 years in prison for murder.
Musk accuses police of anti-white bias
Musk has repeatedly posted about the case on X, questioning whether British police policies discriminate against white people.
In one post, he wrote: “Did you know that official police policy requires them to be racist against whites? This is deeply wrong and needs to change NOW.”
In the next message Musk said: “The West has created an absolutely evil state religion where being accused of ‘racism’ is the worst crime one can commit, even worse than rape or murder!”
The billionaire also reposted content from far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who claimed racial politics contributed to the teenager’s death.
Musk reportedly offered to support legal action against the police force involved in the case.
The government denies allegations of bias
The British government and police authorities have strongly rejected claims that racial bias influenced the officers’ actions.
While Starmer acknowledged concerns about how the incident was handled, he emphasized that criticism should be based on facts rather than political narratives.
“There are difficult questions to be answered about the way the police handled Henry’s murder,” Starmer said.
“We will steadfastly take whatever steps are necessary to right the wrongs in this case.”
The Independent Police Conduct Authority is investigating the incident and is expected to publish its findings within the next three months.
An inquest to examine whether police actions contributed to Nowak’s death is scheduled to begin before a jury in September 2027.
Violent protests followed after the footage was released
The release of the body camera footage sparked demonstrations in Southampton earlier this week.
Police said some protesters threw bricks, flares and chairs at police during clashes on Tuesday night.
Starmer condemned the violence and criticized political figures who he said were trying to inflame tensions.
“It was unforgivable” to use the tragedy to stir up anger and unrest, he said.
The Prime Minister specifically criticized the Reform Party’s Nigel Farage after he called on people to respond to the murder with “pure cold anger”.
Farage defended his comments and rejected accusations that he was promoting racial division.
Long-standing tensions between Starmer and Musk
The latest exchange adds to the increasingly bitter relationship between Starmer and Musk.
The two previously clashed over Britain’s grooming gang scandal, with Musk accusing Starmer of failing to prosecute perpetrators during his tenure as the country’s chief prosecutor.
Starmer then responded by accusing Musk of spreading “lies and misinformation.”
The Prime Minister also on Thursday expressed support for Jess Asat, who is taking legal action against Musk’s AI company, xAI, over alleged fake sexualized images generated by the Grok chatbot.
“I’m 100% behind the action she took,” Starmer said.
“As for the disgusting pictures on Grok, we’ll take Grok and fight.
The family urges calm
Despite the growing political controversy, Nowak’s family has repeatedly appealed for restraint.
Following Digwa’s sentencing, family members described Henry’s treatment by police as “inhumane and degrading” but urged the public not to use the tragedy to deepen social divides.
“We do not want his death to be used to further division, hatred or tension,” the family said.
Their appeals have become central to Starmer’s response as the government seeks to reduce tensions surrounding one of Britain’s most politically charged criminal cases in recent years.
