Elon Musk turns on Nigel Farage, calls on him to quit as Reform party leader

Farage has spent years trying to distance himself from Robinson, has been previously jailed for assault and mortgage fraud, and told the BBC he was “not what we need” in the Reform party.

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.”

In a post on his social media site, Musk later said Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the party – but did not expand on his reasoning. He then posted positively about Reform MP Rupert Lowe, saying “his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense”.

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 met Farage in December at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, which Farage described as “historic” and “great”. Farage told the BBC he planned to “have a conversation with (Musk) on a variety of things” – including Robinson – at Trump’s inauguration later this month.

A leading figure in the UK’s referendum vote to leave the European Union, Farage founded Reform UK in 2018, then called the Brexit Party, and returned as the party’s leader before being elected as an MP in 2024 along with four others.

Reform’s roughly four million votes translates into a 14 per cent share of the total votes cast in the election, handing Labour several seats across the country at the Tories expense.

There had been growing speculation that the world’s richest man was planning to make a significant financial intervention into UK politics, as he did in the 2024 American election which saw Donald Trump win and Musk gain the president-elect’s ear and a role advising on a major government shake-up.