British MP slams Bengali signage at London station, Elon Musk backs stance

A British MP has sparked a row after objecting to bilingual signage at London’s Whitechapel Station, arguing that station names should be displayed exclusively in English in Britain. His remarks received support from US tech billionaire Elon Musk.  

 

Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth and a member of Reform UK, shared a photograph of the sign featuring both English and Bengali on his official X account.  

 

“This is London – the station name should be in English, and English only,” he posted on Sunday.   

Yes

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 9, 2025

 

Lowe’s comment drew mixed reactions from social media users, with some agreeing with his stance while others defended the presence of multilingual signs. Musk, who owns X, responded to Lowe’s post with a simple “Yes.”  

 

 

The Bengali signage at Whitechapel Station was introduced in 2022 to recognise the contributions of the Bangladeshi community to East London. The Tower Hamlets council funded the initiative as part of broader station improvements. Whitechapel, which falls within Tower Hamlets, is home to the largest Bangladeshi community in the UK.  

 

Musk's increasing political engagement in UK

 

Musk’s endorsement of Lowe’s view comes amid his increasing political engagement in the UK. He recently suggested that Nigel Farage should be replaced as Reform UK leader and appeared to support Lowe, 67, as a potential successor.  

 

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had praised the addition of Bengali signage, celebrating it as a recognition of the language’s significance.   

It underlines that the diaspora should work together in common cultural directions. It is a victory of our culture and heritage.(2/2)

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) March 14, 2022

 

“Proud to note that the London Tube Rail has accepted Bengali as a language of signage at Whitechapel Station, signifying the increasing global importance and strength of the 1,000-year-old language,” Banerjee wrote on X in March 2022. She added that the decision highlighted the need for the diaspora to unite through cultural connections. “It is a victory of our culture and heritage,” she stated.