Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of deliberately stoking division following the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak in Southampton. The case, which involved the release of bodycam footage showing police handcuffing Nowak as he lay dying from stab wounds, has sparked widespread public outrage and political debate.
Speaking during a visit to York, Starmer said: "Musk, again, has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division – that is not who we are in Britain. We are reasonable, tolerant people."
The controversy began after Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, urging users to share the bodycam footage and accusing police of heinous treatment of Nowak. He also claimed that mainstream media had remained "dead silent" on the case, drawing parallels to the coverage of George Floyd's death.
Starmer stressed that Nowak's family had appealed for calm, and he called on politicians from all parties to respect their wishes. His comments came after violent protests erupted in Southampton, with demonstrators clashing with police over the officers' conduct.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also weighed in, meeting with Nowak's family on Thursday. She called for cross-party efforts to rebuild trust in the police, urging a careful examination of religious practices that allow carrying dangerous weapons in public.
The murder occurred in December 2025 when Vickrum Digwa, 23, stabbed Nowak to death. Digwa was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years on Monday. Following the sentencing, Nowak's father, Mark, pleaded for peace: "We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension. We want his story to make our streets safer for everyone."
Starmer confirmed that the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), is investigating the officers' behavior, and the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) is reviewing its guidance on race. He declined to support calls for a full misconduct investigation but acknowledged that changes may be necessary.
The Prime Minister also criticized Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for exploiting the tragedy. During Prime Minister's Questions, Farage had called for "pure, cold rage" in response to the case, drawing heckles from opposition MPs. Starmer accused Farage of ignoring the family's plea for non-divisive discourse, saying: "Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances. But to do it when the family are expressly saying 'please don't' is unforgivable."