Scotland’s former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, has accused Elon Musk of fuelling racial divisions in the UK through comments about Asian grooming gangs. Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr, Yousaf didn’t hold back as he tackled issues of sexual violence, race, and far-right rhetoric.
According to Yousaf, the problem isn’t ethnicity—it’s men of all races. He hit back at Musk and other far-right figures like Tommy Robinson for implying that Pakistani or Muslim men are more predisposed to sexual violence.
“Let’s be clear,” Yousaf said. “Those Pakistani men who committed these heinous crimes should rot in jail. I have no sympathy for them. But what you can’t do is take the actions of a small minority and turn it into a dangerous narrative about an entire community.”
Musk’s comments and Yousaf’s response
Musk recently stirred controversy when he referenced the 2004 racist murder of Kriss Donald, a 15-year-old boy from Glasgow killed by an Asian gang. Musk’s brief tweet—“First time I’ve heard of this”—didn’t sit well with Yousaf, who saw it as part of a wider attempt to stoke racial divisions.
“I’m afraid people like Musk and Robinson are suggesting that Pakistanis or Muslims are inherently more prone to crimes like gang rape or sexual violence,” Yousaf said, describing the rhetoric as dangerous and inflammatory.
Musk has previously clashed with Yousaf over Scotland’s Hate Crime Act, which Yousaf introduced during his time as an SNP minister. Musk called the legislation an attack on free speech, but Yousaf argued it was necessary to protect vulnerable communities from hate speech and violence.
“I have no problem with a national inquiry”
Yousaf stressed that his criticism wasn’t aimed at avoiding accountability for crimes. He supported calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs if victims felt it was needed.
“My objection isn’t to an inquiry—it’s to the suggestion that Pakistanis or Muslim men are somehow predisposed to this behaviour. That’s simply untrue, and it fans the flames of division,” he said.
Robert Jenrick’s immigration comments spark further debate
During the discussion, Yousaf also weighed in on comments made by Conservative MP Robert Jenrick, who described certain migrations as the “importation of medieval alien cultures”.
Jenrick’s remarks drew widespread criticism, and Yousaf called them a dangerous escalation. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has been under pressure to sack Jenrick over the comments, though no action has been taken yet.
“It’s what everyone feared the Conservatives would do,” Yousaf said. “They’re shifting further right to appeal to certain voters. I’m not calling Jenrick a racist, but if by ‘alien cultures’ he means people who aren’t white—then that’s clearly racist.”
Musk’s ongoing attacks on UK politicians
Elon Musk, who has grown increasingly vocal on political issues, hasn’t just stopped at Yousaf. He’s taken aim at UK politicians across the board, including labelling Keir Starmer as “two-tier Keir” and criticising what he called a lack of justice for violent crimes but harsh punishment for social media posts.
As Musk continues to engage in public spats, Yousaf warned that this kind of rhetoric could have dangerous real-world consequences. “When billionaires with huge platforms engage in this kind of rhetoric, they’re not just trolling. They’re contributing to an environment of fear and division,” he said.
You can watch the interview below:
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