No 10 condemns Musk's 'dangerous' remarks to far-right rally in London

Downing Street has fiercely criticised Elon Musk for using "dangerous and inflammatory" language, after the US billionaire told a crowd of protesters in London that "violence is coming" and "you either fight back or you die".

- Jessica Elgot Deputy political editor

Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, appeared via video link at the rally that left 26 police officers injured on Saturday. He spoke with the far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, while thousands watched and listened.

Keir Starmer has been under pressure from his own MPs and antifascist groups to be more proactive in defence of diversity and to speak out against some of the rhetoric used during what is thought to have been the largest English nationalist event in decades.

Police estimate that between 110,000 and 150,000 people attended the event organised by Robinson. At least 25 people were arrested and police faced a barrage of physical and verbal abuse from demonstrators who sought to breach cordons.

A day after Starmer made his first major intervention after the mass far-right protests to condemn the intimidation of minorities, No 10 went further.

The prime minister's official spokesperson said: "The UK is a fair, tolerant and decent country. The last thing the British people want is this sort of dangerous and inflammatory language."