TBF I don’t think Wes was aware of the slur against Jess when he was first asked for his comments on Musk, who is now stooping lower & lower with every passing minute . Along with others I’ve deleted the Twitter app.
I hope the powers that be are looking after our Jess very carefully at the moment. This whole Musk attack on our democracy and our democratically elected representatives is scary and should be stopped by the government.
Streeting said "[Elon Musk] is free to say what he would like" but that's not true. Libel and stirring up violence are not allowed. Streeting admitted that EM is outside the jurisdiction of UK legal system and is more powerful of the British government
All responsible politicians and commentators need to make it very clear that this sort of thing is utterly unacceptable. The right seem to think they can, and should, say anything, no matter how offensive, violent, bigoted or irresponsible.
One of the things tying some people to Twitter is government/civil society accounts. Cabinet should consider instructing all ministries and agencies to archive, purge and lock their media/PR/engagement accounts, leaving only accounts which provide public safety alerts.
Streeting et al are ministers speaking out against a proposed “minister” in Trumps cabinet which is the way to tackle this not a PM centre stage giving Musk the power he craves. Musk’s tweets will all add up to either law breaking or Trump will have to calm it down. Slowly , slowly
He's attempting to develop a backbone after he was rubbished on social, but it's not particularly convincing. Just so clear that the Starmer government intends to approach Trumpism by basically kowtowing to it.
It is more likely the govt. Comms team that is reacting to the social media outcry, but that is a good thing, no? Let's keep up the pressure and continue to counter these AstroTurf controversies
This isn’t against you Ian, I really am a fan of your work, but just in general, I hate that Musk is on the front page of the news every day. I hate that when I open Blue Sky or Threads or any political FB group, he’s all over it. I hate that the rich c**t is all over the news cycle.
better to have him in the spotlight and be aware of what he's doing than the media covering him up and allowing him to operate unchecked. Tesle sales have taken a dive because the public is informed, it wouldn't have otherwise.
Speaking as a Tesla owner (albeit a ten-year-old knackered old dinosaur of a Model S that I've owned for seven years), I would say that Tesla have now served their purpose, and can be left to die under their drug-addled Nazi owner.
Sad, really, but that's how it rolls.
I think you might be right but its decline will be a wake up call to at least some of the Musk cult that think of him as a business genius that can only go up.
And the alternative, as we have seen, isn't the media ignoring him, it's them publishing his press releases unaltered, and doing fawning interviews where he is asked how he became so great in so many fields.
Should clarify, I wasn’t saying don’t post about him. I was just venting my frustration that a rich tosser’s basically inserted himself into daily discord. I was never a fan of BoJo but at least he was PM and he warranted headlines.
Musk deserves to be exposed out in the open like this, instead of sniping away to his fans on X. His attacks on Britain bring no credit to anyone who supports him.
I disagree with: "This is a free country, he’s free to say what he would like but..."
No! We consistently misunderstand the meaning of free country and freedom of expression, or rather it is misrepresented by people abusing it for their own nefarious purposes! You cannot just say whatever you want!
Shame he can't just go with the unexpurgated "Oi Elon, fuck off and mind your own business you know-nothing gobshite" - what we're all thinking - but I guess that wouldn't be very ministerial
Not just Streeting but every single Labour MP should stand together against an attack on the one woman in government who has consistently fought for rape and abuse survivors throughout her time in Parliament.
I think his observation that we are paying too much attention to a drug addled American ignoramus is absolutely spot on.
However the UK government needs to start moving away from Twitter. Musk can say whatever he wants but he has to understand there will be consequences.
I understand though the institutional awkwardness of the government of a major country being placed in a position in which many feel it must justify itself in response to slanderous ravings of a drug-addled foreign huckster with a large megaphone.
I agree. Streeting was in good form earlier; calm but assertive and clear about the actions already taken by Starmer and Phillips. The only response to people like Musk and Jenrick is to beat them to death with facts.
And I say again; what happened over the law against hate-speech. Musk’s comments are tantamount to a threat on Jess Phillips’ life. Aren’t there financial penalties on SM platforms that promote such issues, let alone the owner himself actually making the threat?
Why the timid, obsequious mutterings in the first place? A robust response, in concert. No f***ing about. He needs to be held to account and his inane (but dangerous) pronouncements need to be confronted, defeated and despatched, along with the political opportunists engaging in their usual pile on!
Really Musk should be banned from the UK along with all his assets it should be @teamlabouruk.bsky.social policy that pro Fascism is a crime and is not acceptable to a country that was bombed between 1939-44 with 43,000 dead most from fire or buried alive.
They should do something about it then. The state has been completely overshadowed by the markets. Social media needs regulating (similar to KYC in the financial sector), and they should close the loophole on donations to unincorporated associations. They are the government, after all. Aren’t they?
I reckon it's a matter of practicality. Like it or not Twitter/X is still the main social media driver of news, still a major platform. We need to build Bluesky before the shift occurs. We're off to a good start, but there's a ways to go
Either that or it shows an inept and ponderously slow Government that struggles to make a single decision without setting up a committee to head up a 3 year enquiry which will set the strategy, milestones and target leaving date?
Look at the @UKLabour inaction on Social Care reform. These people are not fit for govt & the paucity of ambition except for their own political careers, is stark.
I'd expect their social media team will be preparing for this, for sure. There are a number of invidual Labour MPs on Bluesky and Threads. There's no way of knowing what their social media strategy is
lol no. I just don’t go with the idea that the government has been ‘craven’. Over-cautious perhaps, but online calls for Wes to go over there and punch Musk’s lights out are a bit … well.
I think it’s about optics, personally. If someone attacks a person on your team you need to defend them. Whoever the bully is and however wealthy he is.
The complete silence from Starmer just compounds the pretty prevalent impression that he’s a weak man who believes in nothing.
Labour needs competent female leadership. It’s god awful we’ve had Thatcher, May & Truss so far as PM. And not one female Labour leader to date. It’s a patriarchal hierarchy of old ‘closed shop’ union men around the brazier bollox that does not, and will not, advance women to leadership.
I like Jess but the Labour system exposes her over and over. She hasn’t a chance. Look at today, Labour hierarchy letting a woman who has fought every day against domestic violence be falsely turned into the abuser. It’s fricking terrible talent management, as well as cowardly.
I knew so many privileged, privately educated lily white guys, adopting leftie politics and donkey jackets, all just like Corbyn when I was at uni. Ten a penny. And that got to Labour leadership. They all had Che Guevara posters above their beds, but Labour would propel that before a woman.
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I also think Labour ministers should defend each other against Musk. So when the inevitable attack on Streeting comes, another new outrider defends him etc etc. - looks a lot stronger than self defence.
Certainly agree with the first half. Seems on a number of recent occasions that being a minister has gone to his head and he would do better to engage brain before opening mouth. If he has started taking advice, good. And about time
Given his initial craven tone-deaf response and the disgusting reactionary dialogue prompted by Musk on Xitter, much much less than he should have said 24 hours later.
I know. It would seem that Starmer and Streeting are incapable of reading the room. They literally have to have it spelt out for them. Musks unbridled attacks and lies need challenging at source.
The biggest proof of a backbone would be addressing the horrific state of Social Care as is his remit. Instead he's just announced ANOTHER commission & booted the issue into 2008. Dilnot politely told him yesterday to 'GET IT DONE'. Let's see if Wesley really has a backbone.
Comments
This guy is insane.
Sad, really, but that's how it rolls.
No! We consistently misunderstand the meaning of free country and freedom of expression, or rather it is misrepresented by people abusing it for their own nefarious purposes! You cannot just say whatever you want!
Musk is abhorrent and needs to be called out
Would have had far more respect for them if they’d shown decency and backbone rather than political opportunism.
Anyway, actions speak louder than words. This government needs to act.
However the UK government needs to start moving away from Twitter. Musk can say whatever he wants but he has to understand there will be consequences.
Criticism of them will be essential. Reliance on Trump a grave error.
Impossible for #Starmer until he stops licking the boots of Trump & plan rejoining the #EU.
"Fuck off you fascist sociopathic tosser."
And just in case you missed it, here's some things, Mush should maybe consider:
https://substack.com/@stevehaddon/note/c-84416298
Is it because of public opinion to mimic what we want to hear ?
No more to say,
Why on earth haven’t the Government moved their content elsewhere?
Rather than accept immigration is needed Governments will keep kicking the issue down the road.
As a start they could at least replicate their content here so they can leave Twitter in a hurry if it gets any worse.
To continue on Twitter is support for Musk.
X is a cesspool.
Journalists have left it in their droves.
The government could easily switch here.
Expecting Bluesky to be "big enough" for them first?
Governments are meant to lead.
But yeah.
I know more women with balls than I do men.
The complete silence from Starmer just compounds the pretty prevalent impression that he’s a weak man who believes in nothing.
He's meant to be a leader in waiting.
If he ever leads Labour, they'll lose my vote.
I love Angela Rayner & the RW press attacks her out of fear...
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