LONDON: European leaders expressed growing frustration with tech billionaire Elon Musk on Monday, as a major row escalated between members of Britain`s government and US president-elect Donald Trump`s key ally.

UKPrimeMinisterKeirStarmer slammed those `spreading lies and misinformation` following days of incendiary posts by Musk on his X platform over historical sex offences against children in northern England.

Musk, who is set for a role in Trump`s administration, then accused the centre-left Labour leader of being `deeply complicit in the mass rapes` and `utterly despicable`.

European leaders includingFrench President Emmanuel Macron have also weighed in against Musk. The French leader said the SpaceX boss was `directly intervening in elections`, including in Germany where Chancellor Olaf Scholz has condemned the Tesla boss for backing an extremeright party.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said he found it `worrying` that someone with so much wealth and influence was getting involved in the politics of European countries.

Much of Musk`s focus in recent days has been on Britain and historical scandals involving grooming gangs that first emerged during Starmer`s 2008-2013 tenure as chief state prosecutor for England and Wales.

The comments pose a major challenge for Starmer`s government, as it tries to fend off growing support for the far-right while also seeking to maintain good relations with Trump`s incoming administration.

Musk`s tirade, which included demands for a new public inquiryinto the scandal, has prompted some UK opposition politicians to join in the criticism and call for a fresh national probe.

`Lies` The issue has long been seized upon by far-right figures, including Tommy Robinson, one of Britain`s best known far-right agitators, whom Musk has praised and said should be released from jail.

Responding to media questions on the topic, Starmer insisted he was `not going to individualise this to Elon Musk` but said `a line has been crossed` with some of the online criticism.

`Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they`re not interested in victims, they`re interested in themselves, Starmer told reporters, without naming Musk.

`I`m prepared to call out this for what it is. We`ve seen this playbook many times: the whipping up of intimidation and threats of violence, hoping that the media will amplify it.`-AFP