“The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk posted on his social media platform X, hours after Farage described him as a friend who made the Reform Party look “cool”.
The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 5, 2025
Musk, a close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, appeared to endorse Farage and posed with him last month.
The reformist party won 4.1 million votes, or 14 percent, in the national elections in July last year, giving it five seats in parliament.
The media recently reported that Musk could make a large monetary donation to the Reform Party to help it challenge the Labor and Conservative parties.
But Farage distanced himself from Musk’s statements of support for British anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson. Yaxley-Lennon is serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.
“Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual, but I’m afraid I disagree with this. I still don’t think Tommy Robinson is right for the Reform Party, and I never give up on my principles,” Farage responded to Musk’s post .
Musk recently endorsed Alternative for Germany, an anti-immigrant and anti-Islam party that German security services have labeled as right-wing extremists ahead of national elections in February.
Musk has previously tried to influence British politics and has repeatedly criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Tesla founder last week called for a national inquiry into the handling of the rape of minors by men of Pakistani origin during Starmer’s tenure as chief prosecutor.
A 2014 investigation found that at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham, northern England, between 1997 and 2013.
British Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Starmer and his cabinet member Jess Phillips, who drew Musk’s ire by allegedly saying any new investigation should be carried out by local authorities.
Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid and disagree.
My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles. https://t.co/V7iccN6usS
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) January 5, 2025
“It’s very easy to sit there and blurt out something in anger and hit send when people like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips have done the hard work of locking up abusers of women, rapists and pedophiles,” Streeting told the BBC.
(Vijesti.ba / HINA)
