Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was asked seven times by BBC presenter Nick Robinson whether Elon Musk was invited to the UK’s global investment summit
A Labour minister has suggested the UK wants to work on investment deals with Elon Musk – despite not inviting him to a major investment summit.
Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle was asked seven times by BBC presenter Nick Robinson whether the Tesla founder was invited to the global investment summit. The Labour minister appeared to admit he was not invited and explained that Mr Musk did not have an investment programme. It had previously been suggested the tech tycoon had been snubbed after making comments about Keir Starmer during this summer’s riots.
Mr Kyle insisted this was not the reason and that Mr Musk would have been “very, very welcome” at the UK’s global business summit if he wanted to “open up an investment programme”. He appeared to confirm that the Government had not offered him a place, saying it “focused on global companies who already have announced global investment programmes” and that Mr Musk “doesn’t tend to do these sort of events”.
“Elon Musk would have been very, very welcome if he had an open investment programme that we could have latched on to,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme. “We would love to engage with Elon Musk. If he opens up an investment programme and there is global competition for it, believe me we will be first in line, I will be first in line knocking on his door to try and get that investment here.”
Mr Musk was criticised by Downing Street over his social media posts in relation to the summer riots, which included calling the Prime Minister “two-tier Keir” and that civil war was “inevitable” in Britain. Asked whether the X owner’s absence from the event was because of the comment, Mr Kyle told Sky News: “Absolutely not. Our Prime Minister puts the country first, party second. He has said numerous times, we want to make sure that people from around the world understand we are a Government that is open for business.”
He added to Times Radio: “Elon Musk has never come to any of the past investment summits that have been held under the previous government, he doesn’t tend to do these sort of events, but I stand absolutely ready to engage with him, to talk about any potential global investments he’s making – I’m not aware of any at this moment in time.”
Over 300 industry leaders have been invited to attend the global investment summit being hosted by the UK government in central London. King Charles will hold a reception at St Paul’s Cathedral to welcome some of the world’s largest investors, as Mr Starmer and a string of Cabinet ministers, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, attempt to woo firms to invest in Britain.
In a speech on Monday, Mr Starmer is set to announce billions worth of investments in sectors including life science and artificial intelligence. He will say: “We are focusing on investment because the mission of growth, in this country especially, demands it. Private sector investment is the way we rebuild our country and pay our way in the world. This is a great moment to back Britain. This is a great moment to back England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.”
