British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accused American billionaire and owner of the X platform Elon Musk of interfering in the country’s internal affairs. The statement was made amid heated public debate surrounding the murder of 18-year-old student Henry Novak.
Speaking during a visit to York, Starmer said that Musk is “trying to sow division” in British society by actively commenting on the Novak case in his posts on X.
“We also need to say who we are as a country, because Musk is once again interfering in our politics in recent days, trying to sow division. This is not who we are in Britain. We are reasonable, tolerant people,” the Prime Minister emphasised.
The murder of 18-year-old Henry Novak occurred on 3 December 2025 in Southampton. The student was fatally stabbed by 23-year-old Vikrum Digwa. The case sparked widespread outrage after bodycam footage was released showing dying Novak repeatedly saying he had been stabbed, only to be handcuffed for a time after police believed the attacker’s false accusations.
Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment on 1 June 2026. The incident triggered intense debates about knife crime, policing, two-tier justice, and inter-ethnic relations in the United Kingdom. Protests have taken place across the country in the wake of the case.
Keir Starmer met with the family of the deceased and stressed that Novak’s relatives are calling for calm. The Prime Minister urged Britons not to give in to provocations and to preserve unity.
Elon Musk had previously posted criticism of the media coverage of the incident, raised questions about police actions, and called for greater transparency. He also offered financial support for potential legal action.
Starmer’s statement is one of the strongest attacks yet by the British government against Elon Musk and has further heightened tensions between the UK authorities and the owner of X.