Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has shrugged off being called a “snivelling cretin” by Elon Musk – and has vowed to continue “calling him out”.
Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Sir Ed said he has been “in politics long enough to know that there are insults made”, adding that he is “sometimes not always complimentary about people like Elon Musk”.
Mr Musk, the world’s richest man, has made several comments about UK politics since the election of the Labour government last July and widespread rioting triggered by misinformation around the killing of three young girls in Southport soon after.
Last month, Sir Ed posted on X: “People have had enough of Elon Musk interfering with our country’s democracy when he clearly knows nothing about Britain.
“It’s time to summon the US ambassador to ask why an incoming US official is suggesting the UK government should be overthrown.”
Mr Musk replied: “What exactly do I fail to understand about your failure to stop the mass rape of little girls in Britain, you sniveling cretin?”
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The X owner was referring to grooming gangs in the UK. His comments led members of the Conservative Party to call for a fresh inquiry into the issue.
Speaking to Sir Trevor on Sky News, Sir Ed said the “real issue of substance is Elon Musk said that the British government elected by the British people just a few months ago should be overthrown”.
He said that while he does not agree with many of President Donald Trump’s views, the UK should still try to work with the US.
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On Mr Musk, he added: “It’s a real matter of concern. We need to call him out.”
Sir Ed described him as an “overpowerful billionaire tech magnate”, “best friend of the president of the United States”, and “camped out in Trump’s Oval Office”.
Mr Musk has been appointed as head of Mr Trump’s newly-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
While not a government body – it has been instructed to cut bureaucracy and budgets across the federal government.
