Elon Musk is a “criminal”, Sir Ed Davey has claimed.
The Liberal Democrat leader accused the billionaire of “inciting violence” and allowing adverts “pushing people on self-harm”, “grooming” and “child sex abuse” on X, his social media site.
He also called for an Ofcom investigation into X as well as the businessman personally for failing to uphold their duties under the Online Safety Act.
Sir Ed’s call for criminal sanctions came as his party called on Parliament to haul in Mr Musk for telling protesters at Tommy Robinson’s London rally to “fight back” or “die”.
The Lib Dem leader is expected to continue his criticism of the Tesla and X owner in his speech to the party conference on Tuesday.
Asked by Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips if he thought the US businessman was a criminal, the Lib Dem leader replied: “Yes.
“Not just because of the awful things he’s done, inciting violence, 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, there are examples of adverts pushing people on self-harm, on grooming, even selling videos showing paedophile acts, child sex abuse acts. I think he should be held to account for them. Him personally and his business.”
Elsewhere, Sir Ed was told by the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that Lib Dem activists feel shut down and cross as they were halted from debating a ban on trans women holding women’s roles in the party on the first day of the party’s Bournemouth conference.
Sir Ed replied: “Well, I’m sorry if they’re cross, but I do think the truth is what I’m saying, that we abide by the law.”
The party had a “full debate on LGBT-plus rights, including trans issues” at a conference earlier in the year, he also said.
During his headline conference address on Tuesday, the Lib Dem leader will say Britain “must stand up to Elon Musk, and properly enforce our laws so he can’t get away with inflicting harm on our kids”.
Mr Musk is “keen to meddle in our democracy” because of “his ego, power and wealth”, the Lib Dem leader is expected to add.
He will also say: “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.”
Sir Ed and Mr Musk have engaged in a social media spat over the past week, following the billionaire’s appearance at the Unite The Kingdom rally held in central London.
Elon Musk told protesters at a rally ‘you either fight back or you die’ – Jim Watson/Getty
The protest – led by far-Right activist Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – saw Mr Musk appear in a video message.
The tech boss drew condemnation from Downing Street for telling demonstrators at the rally: “Whether you choose violence or not, violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.”
Sir Ed accused Mr Musk of inciting violence after the incident, with the businessman branding him a “craven coward” in return.
The Lib Dem leader then shared a meme image of SpongeBob SquarePants, parroting back the words to Mr Musk in mockery.
His party plans to table a motion as soon as Parliament returns, with the aim of summoning Mr Musk to appear before MPs to be held to account for his actions at the rally.
The little-used parliamentary power would demand Mr Musk appear at the threshold of the House of Commons, the so-called bar, to be publicly admonished.
The power has not been tested for decades, and was last used on a “stranger”, a non-MP, in 1957.
The Lib Dems are urging the Government and other opposition parties to support the move.
