Elon Musk, in a surprising turn, called for Nigel Farage to resign as leader of Britain’s Reform UK party. “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk posted on X Sunday, just hours after Farage praised him as a “friend” who made the party seem “cool.”
This sudden withdrawal of support comes after Musk’s earlier endorsement of Farage, including posing for a photo with him last month. Farage, who has been negotiating with Musk for financial backing to challenge the Labour and Conservative parties, responded with disagreement. “Elon is a remarkable individual, but on this, I disagree. I’ve never sold out my principles,” Farage said.
The fallout also highlights tensions over Musk’s controversial endorsements. Farage distanced himself from Musk’s support of Tommy Robinson, an anti-Muslim activist currently serving a prison sentence. Musk had similarly endorsed Germany’s far-right AfD party ahead of February’s elections, drawing criticism.
Musk has frequently weighed in on British politics, often targeting Labour leader Keir Starmer. Recently, he backed calls for a national inquiry into how the government handled child sexual exploitation cases, including the infamous Rotherham scandal, where 1,400 children were abused over 16 years. Critics allege that Starmer, during his tenure overseeing prosecutions, failed to act decisively.
Defending Starmer and his colleague Jess Phillips, UK Health Minister Wes Streeting pushed back at Musk’s criticisms. “It’s easy to fire off comments online,” Streeting told the BBC, “while people like Starmer and Phillips have done the hard work of locking up rapists and paedophiles.”
Starmer is expected to address Musk’s remarks at a press conference but is unlikely to confront him directly, given Musk’s close ties to Donald Trump.
