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Elon Musk has suggested that Reform UK needs to replace Nigel Farage with a new leader amid a row between the pair over jailed far-right political activist Tommy Robinson.
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”.
Just hours after Mr Farage was on TV praising Mr Musk, the billionaire took to his social media platform X (Twitter) to declare: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
He then appeared to endorse Rupert Lowe, one of the party’s five MPs, as a replacement.
“I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense,” Mr Musk wrote in response to a post asking whether the Great Yarmouth MP and former Southampton FC chairman should take over the top job.
Hitting back, Mr Farage said: “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 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It is unclear why Mr Musk has withdrawn his support from Mr Farage, who he met at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy just weeks ago to discuss the party’s ground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. Mr Farage and Mr Candy described their hour-long meeting as “great”.
But the dramatic U-turn comes after Mr Farage refused to join Mr Musk’s calls to release Robinson from prison.
On Friday night, Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, calling him a “hero figure, especially for the youth”.
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.
A Washington source told The Independent Mr Musk was “having a tantrum because Nigel pushed back on him” over Robinson. “He does this constantly here, too,” the source added.
Pollster Luke Tryl, UK director at More in Common, said: “Leave aside everything else, this shows Musk has no handle on UK politics.
“Absent Farage, Reform would have been a postmark in history post-election and likely failed to win seats. Like him or not, and many don’t, he has an ability to connect with people most politicians can’t reach.”
And a former Farage aide and Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam responded to Mr Musk saying “you are a f****** moron”.
Despite distancing himself from Mr Musk over Robinson, Mr Farage bent over backwards on Sunday morning to defend the billionaire’s incendiary X posts about home office minister Jess Phillips and Sir Keir.
Mr Musk suggested Ms Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for denying requests for the Home Office to lead a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham.
He also attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the prime minister failed to bring “rape gangs” to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.
Reform UK leader Mr Farage told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that Mr Musk had used “very tough terms” but that “free speech was back” on X under his ownership.
He said that “tough things get said… by both sides of the debate”, adding that Mr Musk’s ownership of X makes it a place for “proper open debate”.
Mr Farage said: “This man happens to be the richest man in the world, but equally, the fact that he’s bought Twitter now actually gives us a place where we can have a proper open debate about many things…
“We may find it offensive, but it’s a good thing, not a bad thing.”
By contrast, Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Mr Musk’s claims are a “disgraceful smear” considering the Labour minister’s efforts to support victims of abuse.
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