Elon Musk has hit back at Keir Starmer as the war of words between the pair intensified.
The prime minister slapped down the billionaire tech boss for claiming “civil war is inevitable” in the UK in the wake of the far-right riots which have taken place across the country in the past week.
The PM’s official spokesman said: “There’s no justification for comments like that and what we’ve seen in this country is organised illegal thuggery which has no place on our streets or online.
“We’re talking about a minority of thugs that do not speak for Britain and in response to it we’ve seen some of the best of our communities coming out to clean up the mess and disruption.
“You can tell from that the prime minister doesn’t share those sentiments.”
But responding to a video posted on X by Starmer on Monday afternoon in which he said the government “will not tolerate attacks on mosques or on Muslim communities”, Musk replied: “Shouldn’t you be concerned about attacks on all communities?”
The clash came after the PM chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency Cobra committee on the riots.
Starmer said they agreed to set up a “standing army of duty officers” to swoop on any trouble that flares up.
Those arrested for taking part in the violence will be immediately named and shamed, the PM said, while they will also “feel the full force of the law” when they appear in court.
In a swipe at social media firms that spread misinformation and allow right-wing messages to be shared to millions of people, Starmer said: “The criminal law applied online as well as offline and I am assured that is the process that is being followed.”
Nearly 400 people have so far been arrested for taking part in the riots, with that number expected to rise in the days ahead.