Elon Musk turns on Nigel Farage and calls for Reform UK leader to be replaced
It’s all turned sour so quickly...
It’s all turned sour so quickly. It was only last month that Farage was boasting about his meeting with Elon Musk, with talks that the tech billionaire would be making a game changing donation to Reform UK, the biggest in British political history.
And yet just weeks later, Musk has turned on Farage, taking to his X platform to call for him to be replaced as Reform UK leader saying that the arch Brexiteer does not have ‘what it takes’.
Farage and Musk have been in disagreement over Musk’s support for the far-right Tommy Robinson. The Trump appointee has called for Robinson’s release in a number of posts in recent days, while Farage has condemned Robinson, telling GB News that Mr Musk “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.
Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”
Musk has posted a number of misleading posts in recent days about a series of aspects of UK politics, appearing to endorse Rupert Lowe. He also called Labour MP Jess Phillips a “rape genocide apologist”.
Responding to Musk’s post calling for him to be replaced, Farage posted 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.”
The latest incident is particularly embarrassing for Farage given that just hours earlier on Sunday, the Reform UK leader used an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg where he heaped praise on Musk and called him ‘a hero’.
It’s all turned sour so quickly...
Today
It’s all turned sour so quickly. It was only last month that Farage was boasting about his meeting with Elon Musk, with talks that the tech billionaire would be making a game changing donation to Reform UK, the biggest in British political history.
And yet just weeks later, Musk has turned on Farage, taking to his X platform to call for him to be replaced as Reform UK leader saying that the arch Brexiteer does not have ‘what it takes’.
Farage and Musk have been in disagreement over Musk’s support for the far-right Tommy Robinson. The Trump appointee has called for Robinson’s release in a number of posts in recent days, while Farage has condemned Robinson, telling GB News that Mr Musk “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.
Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”
Musk has posted a number of misleading posts in recent days about a series of aspects of UK politics, appearing to endorse Rupert Lowe. He also called Labour MP Jess Phillips a “rape genocide apologist”.
Responding to Musk’s post calling for him to be replaced, Farage posted 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.”
The latest incident is particularly embarrassing for Farage given that just hours earlier on Sunday, the Reform UK leader used an interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg where he heaped praise on Musk and called him ‘a hero’.
'Well, that was fast. How’s riding the tiger, Nigel?'
Basit Mahmood
Toda
Left Foot Foryward
Only last month, Farage, the leader of Reform UK who has been desperate to secure the support of Elon Musk, was boasting about how successful their meeting had been amid reports that the owner of X was considering making a huge donation to Reform.
However, yesterday Musk turned on Farage, claiming that the MP for Clacton does not have what it takes to be leader of Reform UK.
The pair have had a disagreement over the far-right former leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson. Musk has called for Robinson’s release in a number of posts in recent days, while Farage has condemned Robinson, telling GB News that Mr Musk “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.
Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”
Many couldn’t quite believe how quickly the relationship between the two has deteriorated.
The Daily Mirror’s Associate Editor Kevin Maguire posted on X: “Doctor! My sides hurt from laughing.
“Elon Musk says Nigel Farage must go hours after Reform boss calls him a ‘hero.”
British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan posted on X: “Wow. Musk just turned on Farage over Tommy Robinson. Imagine living in a world where even Nigel Farage has more principles and common sense than Elon Musk. That’s just how far right Musk has gone.”
Political editor of the New European, James Ball, shared the news with the words: “Hahahaahah, well, that was fast. How’s riding the tiger, Nigel?”
Labour MP Diane Abbott posted the story on X with the words: “When thieves fall out…”
Nick Lowles from anti-extremism group Hope not Hate, reacted to Musk’s dumping of Farage by asking: “How long before @elonmusk begins funding a new Tommy Robinson led party???”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
However, yesterday Musk turned on Farage, claiming that the MP for Clacton does not have what it takes to be leader of Reform UK.
The pair have had a disagreement over the far-right former leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson. Musk has called for Robinson’s release in a number of posts in recent days, while Farage has condemned Robinson, telling GB News that Mr Musk “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.
Farage added: “We’re a political party aiming to win the next general election. He’s not what we need.”
Many couldn’t quite believe how quickly the relationship between the two has deteriorated.
The Daily Mirror’s Associate Editor Kevin Maguire posted on X: “Doctor! My sides hurt from laughing.
“Elon Musk says Nigel Farage must go hours after Reform boss calls him a ‘hero.”
British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan posted on X: “Wow. Musk just turned on Farage over Tommy Robinson. Imagine living in a world where even Nigel Farage has more principles and common sense than Elon Musk. That’s just how far right Musk has gone.”
Political editor of the New European, James Ball, shared the news with the words: “Hahahaahah, well, that was fast. How’s riding the tiger, Nigel?”
Labour MP Diane Abbott posted the story on X with the words: “When thieves fall out…”
Nick Lowles from anti-extremism group Hope not Hate, reacted to Musk’s dumping of Farage by asking: “How long before @elonmusk begins funding a new Tommy Robinson led party???”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
Who is Rupert Lowe? Elon Musk voices support for the MP as potential Reform UK leader
‘I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online [...] make a lot of sense’
Reports had suggested a $100 million donation was on the table for Reform, with meetings taking place at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Nigel Farage even referred to Elon Musk as a ‘hero’, despite stating that the £80m donation figure was somewhat “overexaggerated”.
However, just when things seemed to be going swimmingly between them, over the weekend, the tech billionaire stated that Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead Reform UK. Farage has suggested that this was due to a disagreement over Musk’s support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Why is Elon Musk talking about Rupert Lowe?
Despite not having met Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, Elon Musk has now said that he could make a good leader for the right-wing party.
In response to a post on an X account asking about Lowe taking over, Musk replied: “I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”
Responding to Musk, Lowe said: “I thank Elon for his kind comments.
“I just want to do what is right for my constituency and my country – that is my only interest. Nigel is leader of Reform.”
Who is Rupert Lowe and what are his views?
Rupert Lowe was elected as Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in the July 2024 general election.
A farmer owner himself, Lowe has been Reform UK’s Business and Agriculture spokesperson since 2023.
Lowe has multiple jobs in addition to his role as Great Yarmouth MP. He is a director of pharmaceutical company Biopharma Process Systems, which received over £140,000 in taxpayer-funded furlough money during the pandemic despite the company making almost £8 million in profit.
He is also a director at Alto Energy and Dripping Rock, a freshwater fishing company, as well as at three sports companies. He also owns a company called J Brand Limited, which offers data-related services.
A pro-Brexit MEP
Rupert Lowe is a staunch supporter of Brexit and served as a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands from 2019 to 2020.
Lowe has said that Labour’s pledge to reset ties with the EU is “a ploy to drag us closer to the EU” and has said that the chancellor Rachel Reeves “needs to respect the British people’s decision in 2016”.
The Great Yarmouth MP has recently posted on X claiming that “multiculturalism has failed Britain”, adding that “if foreign nationals want to live in our country, they need to live by our laws, speak our language, and integrate into our society”.
Grooming gang national inquiry
Lowe has joined Elon Musk in calling for a national inquiry into the grooming gang scandal, suggesting a link between ethnicity and child sexual exploitation cases.
This comes despite 2020 Home Office research highlighting “significant limitations” in drawing conclusions about ethnicity’s connection to such offenses. The research also found that group-based child sexual exploitation offenders are most commonly white.
Regarding Tommy Robinson, Rupert Lowe posted on X when the far-right activist was arrested in July last year after organising a demonstration in central London.
The Reform UK party MP Rupert Lowe, responding to the arrest, tweeted: “Is this action proportionate and in line with how the streets of London have recently been policed? More details are urgently required.”
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was also due to appear in court the following week on separate charges of contempt of court for repeating libellous allegations against a young Syrian refugee.
He is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court due to these false claims.
‘I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online [...] make a lot of sense’
Today
Reports had suggested a $100 million donation was on the table for Reform, with meetings taking place at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Nigel Farage even referred to Elon Musk as a ‘hero’, despite stating that the £80m donation figure was somewhat “overexaggerated”.
However, just when things seemed to be going swimmingly between them, over the weekend, the tech billionaire stated that Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead Reform UK. Farage has suggested that this was due to a disagreement over Musk’s support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Why is Elon Musk talking about Rupert Lowe?
Despite not having met Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, Elon Musk has now said that he could make a good leader for the right-wing party.
In response to a post on an X account asking about Lowe taking over, Musk replied: “I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.”
Responding to Musk, Lowe said: “I thank Elon for his kind comments.
“I just want to do what is right for my constituency and my country – that is my only interest. Nigel is leader of Reform.”
Who is Rupert Lowe and what are his views?
Rupert Lowe was elected as Reform MP for Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, in the July 2024 general election.
A farmer owner himself, Lowe has been Reform UK’s Business and Agriculture spokesperson since 2023.
Lowe has multiple jobs in addition to his role as Great Yarmouth MP. He is a director of pharmaceutical company Biopharma Process Systems, which received over £140,000 in taxpayer-funded furlough money during the pandemic despite the company making almost £8 million in profit.
He is also a director at Alto Energy and Dripping Rock, a freshwater fishing company, as well as at three sports companies. He also owns a company called J Brand Limited, which offers data-related services.
A pro-Brexit MEP
Rupert Lowe is a staunch supporter of Brexit and served as a Brexit Party Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the West Midlands from 2019 to 2020.
Lowe has said that Labour’s pledge to reset ties with the EU is “a ploy to drag us closer to the EU” and has said that the chancellor Rachel Reeves “needs to respect the British people’s decision in 2016”.
The Great Yarmouth MP has recently posted on X claiming that “multiculturalism has failed Britain”, adding that “if foreign nationals want to live in our country, they need to live by our laws, speak our language, and integrate into our society”.
Grooming gang national inquiry
Lowe has joined Elon Musk in calling for a national inquiry into the grooming gang scandal, suggesting a link between ethnicity and child sexual exploitation cases.
This comes despite 2020 Home Office research highlighting “significant limitations” in drawing conclusions about ethnicity’s connection to such offenses. The research also found that group-based child sexual exploitation offenders are most commonly white.
Regarding Tommy Robinson, Rupert Lowe posted on X when the far-right activist was arrested in July last year after organising a demonstration in central London.
The Reform UK party MP Rupert Lowe, responding to the arrest, tweeted: “Is this action proportionate and in line with how the streets of London have recently been policed? More details are urgently required.”
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was also due to appear in court the following week on separate charges of contempt of court for repeating libellous allegations against a young Syrian refugee.
He is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court due to these false claims.
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