Elon Musk met Nigel Farage at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence last month. Photo / Getty Images
Elon Musk has called for Nigel Farage to be replaced as leader of Reform UK in a surprising U-turn hours after the British politician refused to endorse some of the tech billionaire’s latest online claims.
“The Reform party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk wrote on X, his social media site, on Sunday afternoon.
The Tesla boss has previously heaped praise on Farage, urging people to “vote Reform”, and calling the party the UK’s “only hope”.
Musk has repeatedly posted about UK politics since Labour was elected in July, from Sir Keir Starmer’s response to the summer riots to the country’s tax policy.
Over the past week, he has posted dozens of times about a historic scandal involving sexual grooming gangs in the north of England, mainly to complain about failures in holding perpetrators to account.
On Friday, Musk claimed Starmer was “complicit in the rape of Britain”, in reference to the now-prime minister’s previous role overseeing the UK’s prosecution office when evidence of the gangs came to light over a decade ago.
Musk also described Jess Phillips, the UK’s minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, as a “rape genocide apologist” and a “wicked witch”.
Earlier on Sunday, Farage had refused to endorse Musk’s language relating to Starmer and Phillips. “I don’t agree with everything he stands for,” he told the BBC.
Musk has also repeatedly called for jailed rightwing activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and who is in prison for contempt of court, to be freed.
Earlier this week, Farage ruled out Robinson joining the Reform party, saying “he’s not what we need”.
In an interview on Sunday, Farage said he would explain to Musk that Robinson was in prison for lying in court rather than exposing criminal gangs.
In response, Musk wrote on X: “I know he’s in prison for contempt of court...but there is NO justification for such a long prison sentence or for solitary confinement!”
Pressed on whether he thought Musk’s comments about British political figures were acceptable, Farage said: “The fact that Musk supports me and supports Reform doesn’t mean as two grown-ups we have to agree with everything the other says.”
He added: “But I do believe in free speech. I think he’s a hero.”
After Musk’s X post, Farage responded by quoting it and writing: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.”
Musk and Farage met at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida last month, when the tech billionaire said he was considering making a sizeable donation to Farage’s party.
The blossoming friendship between the two figures had become a serious cause for concern for both the Conservative party and Labour.
Musk’s repeated criticisms of Starmer previously led Lord Peter Mandelson, Britain’s newly appointed ambassador to Washington, to suggest Farage should be used as a “bridgehead” between the Labour government and the incoming US administration.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on the UK government to start a national inquiry into the grooming scandal, arguing that it should “consider the likely racial or religious motivation of these crimes”.
Musk responded by posting on X: “Good for Kemi Badenoch!”
He also posted positively about Reform MP Rupert Lowe, saying “his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense”.
Farage has sought to position Reform UK as a rival to the Conservatives.
Written by: Anna Gross
© Financial Times