In a political clash that has sent ripples across the UK and beyond, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has publicly branded Elon Musk—a figure known as much for his business ventures as for his provocative statements—a criminal, demanding his arrest for what Davey describes as "allowing online harm to children" on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The controversy, which erupted on September 21, 2025, has ignited a fierce debate about free speech, tech accountability, and the boundaries of online regulation.
Appearing on Sky News' Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Sir Ed Davey did not mince words. When pressed if he was calling Musk a criminal, Davey replied, "Yes. Not just because of the awful things he's done in inciting violence, and, for example, he says a civil war in our country is inevitable, that our democratically elected government should be overthrown. They were bad enough. But on his platform, they're examples of adverse, pushing people on self-harm, on grooming, even selling videos showing paedophile acts, of child sex abuse acts and I think he should be held to account for them, him personally and his business. Ofcom now has the powers under the Online Safety Act."
The Online Safety Act, which came into force earlier this year, places a legal duty on social media companies to protect children from harmful content. Crucially, it makes directors of these companies liable for criminal prosecution if they breach the law. Ofcom, the UK’s independent media regulator, has already launched an investigation into X’s handling of child sexual abuse material, a move that reflects the gravity of the allegations.
Davey’s accusations against Musk are twofold. First, he contends that Musk has incited violence. Last week, during a rally organized by far-right activist Tommy Robinson in London, Musk appeared via video link and delivered a message that raised eyebrows across the political spectrum. "This is a message to the reasonable centre, the people who ordinarily wouldn't get involved in politics, who just want to live their lives. They don't want that, they're quiet, they just go about their business. My message is to them: if this continues, that violence is going to come to you, you will have no choice. You're in a fundamental situation here. Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die, that's the truth, I think," Musk said, as reported by Sky News and the BBC.
Secondly, Davey argues that X has become a haven for harmful content since Musk’s takeover in 2022. According to Davey, “Promoting self-harm, grooming and sexual exploitation – all happening on Elon Musk’s watch. No wonder he wants to get rid of the laws to tackle it.” He further emphasized that after Musk acquired Twitter, many of its child safety staff were laid off or resigned, and the platform’s trust and safety council was disbanded. Child protection experts, as cited by Sky News, have accused Musk of leading a “race to the bottom on safety.”
In an interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Davey went further, stating, "He [Musk] is actually, I think, committing crimes. Ofcom should go after him. The laws are there. What his business is doing is against the law because it is disgusting." Davey called for Ofcom to launch an investigation into Musk and X, repeating his claims that the platform has shown “adverts for people who want to show videos with paedophile images, self-harming, grooming.”
The government, for its part, insists that the Online Safety Act—passed by the previous Conservative government and brought into effect by Labour—will protect children. However, the law has faced strong pushback from US tech giants. Musk himself has argued that its real purpose is "suppression of the people" and has accused Ofcom of taking a "heavy-handed approach" to enforcement.
Not everyone agrees with Davey’s assessment. Rupert Lowe, an Independent MP and former Reform UK member, told Sky News, "I think Ed Davey is a complete joke." Lowe praised Musk’s stewardship of X, saying, "His purchase of Twitter has ensured that we actually do have a genuine free speech platform, which has allowed the truth on many issues to come out. And in terms of the Online Safety Act, it is simply an attempt by what I would call the 'ancien regime', the old regime, to try and stifle free speech." Conservative peer Toby Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, echoed this sentiment, suggesting that platforms like X have "gone too far in age-gating" and arguing that it makes "little particularly sense to age-gate political content."
Yet, for Davey and his supporters, the issue is not about free speech but about accountability and the safety of children. He is expected to reiterate his call for Musk’s arrest during his keynote speech at the Liberal Democrat conference in Bournemouth on September 23, 2025. In his prepared remarks, Davey will say, "We know why Elon Musk is so keen to meddle in our democracy. It’s not because he cares about the British people, and our rights and our freedoms. It’s all about his ego, power and wealth. He rails against the Online Safety Act, but not because he cares about free speech. Like so many on the far-right – or the far-left – Elon Musk doesn’t really believe in free speech. He just believes in free speech for people who agree with him. It’s because he wants to carry on running his social media platform without taking any responsibility for the terrible harm it is causing – especially to our children."
The Liberal Democrats are also set to table a parliamentary motion summoning Musk to the House of Commons to be reprimanded for his actions at the Unite the Kingdom rally. Such a move is exceedingly rare—the last time a non-MP was summoned to the bar of the Commons was in 1957—but it underscores the seriousness with which Davey and his party view the matter.
This is not the first time Davey has clashed with Musk. In February 2025, Davey called for the US ambassador to be summoned after Musk, then an incoming US official, suggested the UK government should be removed. Musk responded by calling Davey a "snivelling cretin." More recently, when Davey renewed his criticism, Musk labeled him a "craven coward."
For their part, X and Musk have maintained that the platform has "zero tolerance for child sexual abuse material" and claims that tackling those who exploit children is a "top priority." As of publication, neither Musk nor X has issued a new public comment in response to the latest allegations.
While the debate rages on, Ofcom’s investigation into X’s handling of child abuse content continues. The outcome could set a precedent for how tech giants are held accountable under the UK’s new digital laws—and for how far governments are willing to go in policing the digital public square.
For now, all eyes remain on Bournemouth, where Davey is expected to double down on his campaign for Musk’s prosecution, and on Westminster, where the battle lines over tech regulation and free speech are being redrawn in real time.
