Elon Musk’s Remarks Condemned by Sefton Liberal Democrat Leader

Lib Dem Sefton leader, Cllr. John Pugh, has followed his party leader, Ed Davey MP, in condemning the remarks made by Elon Musk at the weekend rally in London organised by far right activist, Tommy Robinson.  

Elon Musk’s remarks at the rally have been widely regarded as having the potential to incite violence. 

Musk said , “Whether you choose violence or not violence is coming to you. You either fight back or you die.” 

 Liberal Democrats are calling on all other parties to condemn these remarks and Ed Davey has written to Kier Starmer , Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage asking them to join in the condemnation of Musk's remarks, describing Mr Musk’s remarks as “a serious and dangerous interference in our democracy.”

Cllr Pugh said  “Drawing up battle lines is not what the world or our community wants or needs. Kindness and the ability to disagree well is what is in short supply. There is depressingly a growing list of issues people cannot civilly talk about. Rational public debate is already being supplanted by polarised internet aggro.

As the Governor of Utah said after the Charlie Kirk shooting, lamenting the damage that social media is doing to individuals, the internet is getting us 'addicted to outrage’.

In  truth, you don’t need to hate someone with a different opinion.They may be mistaken, but in a democracy they are not your enemy. 

Sadly there is no evidence that criticism always triggers intense self-reflection and examination in the case of Elon Musk’s worrying behaviour. It does though alert the dwindling band of people who believe in rational democratic debate to the need to demonstrate how a mature humanity can solve and discuss even difficult problems without violence and without hatred. 

Peace making and tolerance are no longer passive attitudes ; they have to be actively promoted and the onus is on us all to find out new ways of doing so.

I am enormously proud of my community in Southport who in 2024 in their reaction to riots provoked by outside agitators showed the world how to turn your back on senseless violence. If only the rest of the world could show that degree of maturity and dignity."