BBC: Sir Keir Starmer has condemned comments by Elon Musk suggesting that "civil war is inevitable" following violent unrest in the UK.
The owner of X, formerly Twitter, posted the remarks on the platform in response to a video showing people aiming fireworks at police.
The prime minister's spokesperson said there was "no justification" for Mr Musk's comments, adding there was more that social media companies "can and should be doing".
Justice Minister Heidi Alexander also criticised the tech billionaire for his "totally unjustifiable" and "pretty deplorable" comments.
Disorder has now lasted almost a week, following the fatal stabbing of three girls in Southport. The subsequent unrest in towns and cities across England and in parts of Northern Ireland has been fuelled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.
Following Mr Musk's post about civil war on Saturday, he has continued to comment on the unrest in the UK.
Mr Musk replied to a post on X from the prime minister - in which Sir Keir said he would not tolerate attacks on mosques or Muslim communities - asking: "Shouldn't you be concerned about attacks on *all* communities?"
The tech billionaire has also replied to a post criticising UK policing, suggesting the police's response "does seem one-sided". » | Andre Rhoden-Paul, BBC News | Tom Gerken, BBC News | Monday, August 5, 2024
