Musk says Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’ to lead Reform

January 05, 2025
Elon Musk and Nigel Farage met at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in December

Elon Musk hat gefordert, dass Nigel Farage als Leiter von Reform UK ersetzt wird, da er behauptet, er habe „nicht das nötige Zeug“.

Im vergangenen Monat traf sich der Tech-Multimillionär mit Mr. Farage im Mar-a-Lago Resort von Donald Trump in Florida. Es gab Spekulationen, dass er der insurgent Party so viel wie 100 Millionen Dollar (78 Millionen Pfund) spenden könnte.

But Mr Musk and the Reform leader have disagreed in the past week on Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the English Defence League, who is currently in prison for contempt of court.

Mr Farage said last week that Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was “not what we need”, after Mr Musk repeatedly praised him on X, the social media site he owns.

Writing on X on Sunday, Mr Musk said: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”

Mr Farage insisted he would remain as the leader of Reform, saying that while Mr Musk was a “remarkable individual”, Robinson was “not right” for the party.

Mr Farage wrote on X: “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.”

Mr Musk suggested Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, could potentially succeed Mr Farage.

Responding to an account asking whether Mr Lowe should take over as leader, he wrote: “I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”

Lee Anderson, the Reform MP for Ashfield, backed his party leader, writing: “I would not be here without Nigel. And Nigel is right.

“Over the next four years, Reform UK led by Nigel is going to fight for the heart and soul of our beautiful country.”

He added he was “not sure [Robinson] even wants to be a member” and said there would be a “daily media frenzy” if he was admitted.

“Nigel put his faith in me and I will put my faith in him,” Mr Anderson said. “We have the momentum, we have a plan and we have a man who can lead us to victory.”

Mr Musk’s unexpected call for Mr Farage to be replaced as Reform’s leader comes after he repeatedly expressed his support for the political party.

It is unlikely that Mr Musk’s appetite for Mr Farage to be replaced will be shared by the Reform grassroots.

A YouGov poll conducted last June found that 94 per cent of Reform supporters had a favourable view of their leader.

The two men met at Mar-a-Lago on Dec 17.

Mr Farage has long been a friend of Mr Trump, while Mr Musk is expected to have a key role in his administration as the co-chairman of the new Department of Government Efficiency when he returns to the White House next month.

Following the meeting, Mr Farage shared a photograph of him with the tech billionaire with the caption: “Britain needs Reform.” Mr Musk replied: “Absolutely.”

In an interview with The Telegraph on Boxing Day last year, Mr Farage had said Mr Musk would play a key role in helping Reform to beat the Conservatives as well as Labour.

Addressing his popularity, Mr Farage said: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on, and frankly that’s only just starting.

“Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything.

“And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”

In the past few days, Mr Musk has launched a number of highly critical online attacks against Labour ministers amid the grooming scandal.

He claimed Jess Phillips, the safeguarding minister, “deserves to be in prison” after she refused to support a fresh inquiry into historic child sexual exploitation in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Mr Musk also accused Sir Keir Starmer of being “complicit” in “the rape of Britain” in relation to his time in charge of the Crown Prosecution Service while abuse was taking place.

Mr Musk later praised Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, after she said the state must address the “collusion and cover-ups of officials, the police and politicians”.

Quoting a piece she wrote on the issue for the Mail on Sunday, he said: “Good for Kemi Badenoch!”

When asked about Mr Musk’s comments, Mr Farage distanced himself from them, but also said that he would “rather live in a world where we’re free to cause offence”.

He told the BBC: “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.

“I believe in free speech even if what people say is offensive – if you find it offensive, if most people find it offensive.

“Would I rather live in a world where we’re free to cause offence rather than a world in which free speech and debate get shut down? I know which of those two I prefer.”

He said that whilst Mr Musk described himself as a “free speech absolutist”, he believed “free speech has its limits” particularly around incitement to violence.

Asked about Mr Musk’s attacks on Ms Phillips, which have included branding her a “rape genocide apologist”, he replied: “These are very, very tough terms.

“If you believe they’re inciteful then they go beyond the line. In public life, tough things get said by both sides of the debate.”

In a lengthy series of posts about British politics, Mr Musk called for the release of Robinson, who was jailed for 18 months last year.

The sentence came after he admitted committing contempt of court by repeating false allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Mr Musk incorrectly suggested Robinson had been jailed because he had previously spoken out about child sexual abuse.

He shared posts on X that described Robinson as a “political prisoner” and called for his release, before separately saying: “Britain needs Reform now!”

Asked about the posts on X, Mr Farage told GB News that Mr Musk was “attacking the leadership of Britain” over the grooming gangs scandal.

“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.”

He said: “There are people in Britain who think that Robinson is a political prisoner. That’s the narrative that he’s pushed out. That’s how he earns his living but it isn’t quite true.”

The Reform leader added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”

Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform who stepped down when Mr Farage became leader, also distanced himself from Robinson in an interview with LBC Radio on Sunday.

A post sent from Robinson’s account by an administrator called for Ben Habib, a former deputy leader of Reform, to succeed Mr Farage.

“Unlike Nigel, Ben will not kowtow to the political or media establishment, he recognises the problems we face and he’s not afraid to speak his mind on them,” the post said.

“Ben would introduce real policies that will work for the British people. Reform are at a crossroads, continue as a limited company dictatorship under Farage, or fully democratise, bring in a leader (Ben Habib) who will represent the working class and set our country on the right path. The choice is now.”

Mr Habib has previously claimed the contempt of court case against Robinson was “politically motivated” and that he is a “political prisoner”. He fell out with Mr Farage after he was sacked from his deputy leader post, and has since criticised Reform over what he says is a lack of party democracy.