Elon Musk’s father has told Sky News that protesters targeting his son’s cost-cutting work for the US government are “bums”.

Errol Musk was responding, in an interview with Business Live, to a growing backlash among US taxpayers and Tesla customers against his son’s role in the Trump administration-created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

The electric car firm has increasingly become the subject of sales boycotts and protests – neither of which have been consigned to the US though dealerships there have seen vehicles vandalised and even set alight.

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Musk Sr told presenter Darren McCaffrey: “To take notice of the bums that are trying to hurt Tesla by damaging cars, well that’s just plain silly. Nobody does that, you know, you use your brain… and (it) tells you these people are the problem, not the car.”

The anger directed at Elon Musk was “media hype”, he said as he also dismissed growing unease among Tesla investors that his son’s main business interest was suffering at a time when the challenges facing it are only rising.

Earlier this month one of Tesla’s earliest investors, Ross Gerber, told Sky News Mr Musk should step down as the electric carmaker’s chief executive unless he quit his work for the Trump administration.

His worries included bad publicity and Mr Musk’s ability to devote enough time to Tesla.

It was revealed last week that Tesla sales had fallen 40% in Europe and were behind those of cheaper Chinese rival BYD on an annual basis.

Mr Musk himself has since warned he expects a “significant” hit to Tesla from Mr Trump’s metal tariffs and looming duties on all US car imports and car parts.

He also hinted at the weekend, in an interview with Fox News, that he could soon have more time on his hands as the bulk of his work at DOGE should be completed by late May.

Errol Musk denied any suggestion that his son was overstretched, saying there were good people at Tesla to delegate day-to-day business while Elon completed “vital work” for US taxpayers, given the state of the country’s mounting debt pile.

“He’s got plenty of ability to do that. Don’t worry about it,” he said, while predicting that Tesla shares would recover to $600 per share by the year’s end. They are currently changing hands for $254.

“There’s no concern there whatsoever, not at all,” he said.

The acting chief executive of the Post Office is being lined up to take the job on a permanent basis as the state-owned company continues talks with ministers over its long-term funding arrangements.

Sky News has learnt that Neil Brocklehurst, who was named interim chief last September, is close to being handed the role.

Whitehall sources said on Monday that an announcement about Mr Brocklehurst’s appointment was likely to be made in April.

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The decision, which requires the approval of business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, will bring a degree of stability to an organisation still grappling with the financial and reputational consequences of the Horizon IT scandal, which saw hundreds of sub-postmasters wrongly convicted of fraud and false accounting.

Reliant on the government for its funding, the Post Office has been in negotiations with ministers about delivering a previously pledged pay uplift this year.

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that Nigel Railton, the company’s chairman, had informed thousands of Post Office managers that he had yet to gain certainty from Whitehall about a £120m increase for this year.

The sum was promised in November as part of a strategy to rebuild the Post Office in the wake of the Horizon scandal.

The Post Office has outlined plans for an ambitious transformation which includes franchising more than 100 directly managed branches.

A substantial number of jobs are also being cut at the company’s head office as part of the restructuring.

Several tranches of those have already taken place.

Mr Brocklehurst replaced Nick Read at the Post Office’s helm following a turbulent period for the outgoing boss.

Mr Read was repeatedly accused of being obsessed with his pay arrangements and being at the centre of a series of rows with both board colleagues and his government employers.

Like Mr Railton, Mr Brocklehurst is a former executive at Camelot, the previous National Lottery operator.

A Post Office spokesman declined to comment, while the Department for Business and Trade has been contacted for comment.

The boss of Primark has resigned after admitting an “error of judgement” in his behaviour towards a woman in a social environment.

Paul Marchant stepped down as chief executive of the high-street fashion brand with immediate effect following an investigation.

Primark‘s parent firm, Associated British Foods (ABF), said he had co-operated with the investigation, and “acknowledged his error of judgment and accepts that his actions fell below the standards expected by ABF”.

“He has made an apology to the individual concerned, the ABF board and also to his Primark colleagues and others connected to the business,” the firm added.

The group’s overall chief executive George Weston said he is “immensely disappointed”.

“At ABF, we believe that high standards of integrity are essential,” he said in a statement.

“Acting responsibly is the only way to build and manage a business over the long term.

“Colleagues and others must be treated with respect and dignity.

“Our culture has to be, and is, bigger than any one individual.”

ABF’s finance director Eoin Tonge will take over as chief executive on an “interim basis” – and his role will be taken up by Joana Edwards, the group’s financial controller.

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The group’s statement added it “seeks to provide a safe, respectful, and inclusive work environment where all employees and third parties are treated with dignity and respect”.

“Primark is committed to doing business the right way at all levels of the company,” it said.

ABF promised to continue supporting the woman who made the complaint.

Primark results due soon

The group will still publish its interim results for the financial year as planned on 29 April, according to its statement.

In January, ABF reported an uncharacteristic decline in like-for-like sales at Primark across the UK and Ireland.

Sales at the store fell by 6% – with Primark saying it expects “low single-digit” sales growth for 2025 as a result – down from mid single-digit levels in November 2024.

Speaking at the time, Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: “If Primark is struggling, you know the UK retail sector is in trouble.”