 "Tesla CEO Elon Musk suggested that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is not fit to rule a 'growing party'. AP")
UK’s Reform Party leader Nigel Farage has hit back at Tesla CEO Elon Musk after the billionaire said that his party needs a new leader. Musk stirred a storm on Sunday after he wrote on his social media platform X that Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead a growing party. The remarks left many shocked since the billionaire has been an ardent supporter of both Reform UK and its party leader.
It is important to note that the remarks from the SpaceX CEO came after Farage distanced himself from Musk when the entrepreneur expressed support for jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
Soon after Musk’s remarks, Farage responded to his post, admitting that even he was surprised by Musk’s latest stance. “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this, I am afraid I disagree,” Farage wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles,” he added.
Farage & Musk: Friends or foes?
Tommy Robinson was jailed in October last year after he admitted contempt of court by frequently repeating false claims about Syrian refugees. In December, Farage said that he is in talks with Musk and the billionaire might possibly donate as much as $100 million to his party. Reform UK’s Treasurer Nick Candy later paid a visit to US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida where he met Musk.
While Farage and Musk did not agree on the Tony Robinson issue, the Reform UK leader defended Musk after the billionaire attacked the UK government’s response to grooming gangs on X. In a series of posts, Musk suggested that Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute gangs and insisted that Home Office minister Jess Phillips “deserves to be in prison”.
The remarks came after the UK home office rejected to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham following the Conservatives and the Reform UK’s calls for a national inquiry into the matter. The UK PM Keir Starmer’s administration argued that the case should be first dealt with by the local government.
When asked about Musk’s provocative statements in a BBC interview, Farage said he had used “very tough terms” but that “free speech was back” on X under his ownership. “If it turns out that Kier Starmer did in effect not prosecute a case for fear of what it would do to community relations, for fear that it would provoke the charge of racism, if that is the case then he is open to be criticised and we all criticise in our ways,” he added.
After Musk’s recent comment, several Reform party leaders rallied behind Farage. Mark Simpson, the party’s regional organiser for Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham, said: “We are fully behind you Nigel, we will keep going!” Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf and the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice, both reposted Mr Farage’s reply.