John Swinney: Elon Musk remarks on Jess Phillips ‘reprehensible’

Elon Musk’s comments about UK Government minister Jess Phillips were “completely and utterly reprehensible”, First Minister John Swinney has said.

The tech tycoon, who will shortly become part of the US administration under Donald Trump, has posted messages on his social media website X calling for Phillips to be jailed.

His comments followed Phillips’ decision not to instruct a national inquiry into historic child sexual abuse in Oldham, instead instructing the council to launch a local one as has happened elsewhere in the country.

Musk said the minister “deserves to be in prison” and accused both Phillips and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failing to tackle the issue of “rape gangs”.

It has sparked concerns about Phillips’ safety.

Speaking earlier on Monday, Starmer condemned the “spreading [of] lies and misinformation” over child sexual exploitation.

He also said Musk had “crossed the line” in his comments about Phillips.

Asked if the first minister agreed with the prime minister following a speech in Edinburgh, Swinney said: “I certainly think that what I heard and saw being said about Jess Phillips was completely and utterly reprehensible. I’m very happy to associate myself with the criticism.”

He also criticised Musk for promoting “glib solutions” and warned that the Scottish Parliament failing to pass a budget was “playing into the hands” of populists like Musk.

Finance secretary Shona Robison set out the Scottish Government’s tax and spending plans last month.

Ministers will require the support – or abstention – of at least one other party to pass the associated legislation.

The first minister warned that not to do so would create “real damage”, including a “catastrophic reduction” in NHS delivery.

He said: “Operations would likely have to be cancelled. Nurses’ and doctors’ pay rises would be under threat. Medicines might have to be rationed.

“It could mean no universal winter heating payments for pensioners. The record increase in arts and culture funding halted. Fewer teachers, and no new money for additional support needs. Increased funding for affordable housing lost.

“Real damage to the very fabric of our public services. Real damage inflicted on some of the most vulnerable in our land.”

This, he warned, would result in “feeding the forces of anti-politics and of populism” because it would be “demonstrating that [the political system] can’t address people’s concerns”.

But he said he was “confident” that his government could pass the budget, insisting it was a “unifying” programme.

Pressed on this by journalists after the speech, following reports that both the Greens and Lib Dems may be prepared to abstain, Swinney said he did “not have any certainty”.

“If people abstain, of course that makes it easier, but I don’t have the certainty. You can’t say to me today that I’ve got a signed-up commitment from anybody other than SNP members to support the budget,” he added.