[graemep]

I think its important to balance this with Elon's failures to influence British politics.

He is widely loathed.

The only British political movement to be willing to take his money is the extremist, but also marginal, EDL (the organisation lead by Tommy Robinson).

He offered a huge donation to Reform but this was turned down because he made it a condition of the donation that Tommy Robinson was allowed to join Reform. This leaves him with no party capable of winning even a single seat in parliament being willing to take his money.

I do not doubt that Musk is trying to use X to influence British politics. I do doubt he is having much success.

[afavour]

Surely he can influence British politics, just indirectly. His purchase of Twitter continues to pay dividends, he can tweak the algorithm to emphasize whatever he wants without attaching his name to it directly.

[stevesimmons]

And paradoxically, the more he tries to influence British politics, the more people become aware of his efforts, and think more negatively of him.

Plus who in UK would buy a Tesla now? Other than because it was discounted.

[graemep]

Musk is only just the largest shareholder in Tesla, however he is CEO and very strongly associated with the brand so he has damaged the company's image.

On the other hand, people are happily buying Chinese cars without caring about the ethics and politics of China or the companies they buy from, which are even worse.

[tastyface]

I disagree that they're even worse. *China* might be a vicious and unethical state in many respects, but you can't directly equate every company in China with the Chinese government. If I buy a BYD car, my money is not going directly into the pockets of white supremacists in the UK and Germany.

[graemep]

> I disagree that they're even worse. China might be a vicious and unethical state in many respects, but you can't directly equate every company in China with the Chinese government.

Their taxes go to the Chinese government, buying from them strengthens the Chinese economy (and therefore the government), buying centrally controlled technology from China strengthens China strategically (in the same way buying US cloud services strengthens the US) , Chinese companies are far more under the control of the state, and they have their own ethical problems, such as near slavery: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/what-happens-next-wor...

> If I buy a BYD car, my money is not going directly into the pockets of white supremacists

If you buy a Tesla only some of what you pay is profit. Musk owns 16% of the shares so is entitled to 16% of the profits and his pay as CEO, and the the extremists will get whatever proportion of that he chooses to give them

It is likely to be a tiny proportion of the cost of a car, and certainly far less than the benefit the Chinese government gets from the purchase of a BYD.

> in the UK and Germany.

That would be AfD in Germany. I did not think he had actually donated all that much?

In the UK has he found anyone willing to take his money? Reform turned him down because he made the donation on their letting Tommy Robinson join. That essentially leaves him with the Tommy Robinson and the EDL, Rupert Lowe (an independent MP since he got kicked out of Reform) and a few individuals and even smaller organisations than the EDL (like whatever Ben Habib's new party is called) who might take his money.

[rhetocj23]

The great irony is, come election time, the support for Labour will be stronger to prevent any chance of Reform gaining control of parliament.

[graemep]

Musk does not back Reform as I explained. See this example of what he thinks of Farage:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/elon-musk-nig...