Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued a defiant pledge that his government "will not back down" in its confrontation with Elon Musk's social media platform X over its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, which can generate sexualised deepfake images of women and children.
Ultimatum Issued to Musk Over 'Disgraceful' AI Tool
During a heated Prime Minister's Questions session on Wednesday 14 January 2026, Starmer slammed X's actions as "disgraceful" and confirmed he had delivered a direct ultimatum to the platform's owner. The PM told MPs that while a reported move by X to bar Grok from creating such images for all users, including paying subscribers, was "welcome", it was insufficient.
"If X cannot control Grok, we will – and we'll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self-regulate," Starmer stated, repeating his message to Musk from Tuesday. He emphasised that the platform "must act" to remove all unlawful content generated by the AI.
Coalition Demands App Store Removal as Ofcom Probes
The political standoff coincides with mounting external pressure on the tech giant. The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into whether X has breached UK law through Grok's capabilities.
Simultaneously, a powerful coalition of women's groups, technology watchdogs, and progressive activists has called on Google and Apple to remove both X and Grok from their app stores. In open letters published on Wednesday, the coalition argued that the apps are generating illegal content that violates the tech companies' own terms of service.
PMQs Dominated by U-Turns and Rail Investment Pledge
The session in the House of Commons also saw Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch launch a fierce attack on the Labour government's record, accusing it of 13 significant policy U-turns since taking office 18 months prior. She specifically demanded an apology for a reversal on a family farms inheritance tax, which she claimed caused misery and forced sales.
In a robust retort, Starmer accused the previous Conservative administrations of having "more positions in 14 years than the Kama Sutra", citing their rapid turnover of prime ministers and ministers. He shifted focus to announce a major new rail network for Northern England, claiming the Tories had "failed towns and cities across the north" on transport.
Transport Minister Heidi Alexander, speaking on Sky News earlier, disputed the figure of 13 U-turns, though the government has recently abandoned plans for compulsory digital ID checks.
Political analysts noted that Starmer appeared under pressure during the exchanges, with The Independent's editor reporting "choked sounds of support" from Labour benches, contrasting with cheers for Badenoch from a reinvigorated Tory side.
The prime minister began PMQs by condemning the murder of protesters in Iran, stating the UK was working with allies on further sanctions.
