Elon Musk has suggested that Reform UK needs to replace Nigel Farage with a new leader.
The Tesla tycoon said Mr Farage, who founded the party and is credited with its recent surge in the polls, “does not have what it takes”.
His call for change comes as a bitter blow after days of Mr Farage fawning over the world’s richest man, describing him as “a hero” and claiming he makes Reform “look cool”.
open image in galleryNigel Farage and Party treasurer Nick Candy have met Mr Musk in the US (Stuart Mitchell/Reform UK) (PA Media)
Mr Musk used his social media platform X to declare: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
He had been expected to hand a multi-million pound donation to Reform to aid its efforts to win the next general election amid a feud with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.
It is also unclear why Mr Musk has withdrawn his support from Mr Farage, who he met at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy just weeks ago to discuss the party’s ground game and financing.
But the dramatic u-turn comes after Mr Farage refused to join Mr Musk’s calls to release jailed political activist Tommy Robinson.
On Friday night Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, who is reportedly mulling a multi-million-pound donation to the Reform party, calling him a “hero figure, especially for the youth”.
open image in galleryNigel Farage distanced himself from Elon Musk over his support for jailed political activist Tommy Robinson (PA Wire)
But, after Mr Musk on X shared a call to “free Tommy Robinson”, Mr Farage said: “He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinson’s in prison not for that, but for contempt of court.
“We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, which began in October.
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