 "Elon Musk speaks at a campaign rally, October 27, 2024, in New York. US. AP File")
After reports suggested that Elon Musk, owner of X, was considering a donation of up to $100 million to the right-wing populist Reform UK party, Musk dismissed the claims and responded with a simple “No” when asked about the potential donation.
According to a Politico report, over the weekend, The Sunday Times sparked speculation, citing concerns among “leading businessmen and Conservative Party officials” that Musk, the owner of X, was considering a sum for Brexiteer Nigel Farage’s party that could significantly impact British politics.
While Musk has publicly supported Reform UK on X and criticised the UK’s current Labour government, he has remained silent on the report.
But when he was asked by ITV News whether he will donate the said sum to Reform as he arrived on Capitol Hill to meet Republican lawmakers on Thursday, he replied: “No”, added the report.
Farage, an ally of Donald Trump who has sought Musk’s help for a government efficiency initiative, dismissed the donation rumors this week as “entirely theoretical” and “pure speculation,” saying he has never requested money from Musk.
However, the Reform UK leader did not dismiss the possibility of future support from either the US president-elect or Musk.
“Are Trump and Elon going to support me in the run up to 2029? Well, that’s what friends are for, isn’t it?” Politico quoted him as saying.
Since the Labour government took office in July, Musk has been engaged in a prolonged social media feud, clashing repeatedly with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on issues such as law and order, social media regulation, and economic policy.
Musk’s denial came after Conservative co-chairman Dominic Johnson told Tory activists on a video call, seen by Sky News, that a donation from the world’s richest man to Reform UK would essentially be “buying one of the political parties here.” He added that Farage should “be frankly embarrassed” and risked becoming a “puppet of a foreign politician” if he accepted any money from Musk.
With inputs from agencies