Nigel Farage says he and Elon Musk are ‘still friends’ after billionaire’s social media attack

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Nigel Farage has insisted he is still friends with Elon Musk and has spoken to him since his online attack that the Reform MP “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead his party.

In an interview with Sky News, Mr Farage responded to the fall-out, saying: “Of course we’re friends. He just says what he thinks at any moment in time.”

He added he has “been in touch” with multi-billionaire, known as the world’s richest man, though wouldn’t divulge what they had discussed.

“Look, he said lots of supportive things. He said one thing that wasn’t supportive. I mean, that’s just the way it is,” Mr Farage said.

It comes after the Tesla founder waded in to debate around the UK’s grooming gangs scandal and called for far-right activist Tommy Robinson to be released from prison.

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Despite his continued support for Reform, relations appeared to have soured on 5 January between the two men over Mr Farage’s rejection of Mr Musk’s calls to release Robsinon.

Mr Musk posted: “The Reform Party need a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”

Speaking to Sky News on Friday, the Clacton MP said he openly disagreed with this position and denied being afraid to criticise the tech mogul.

Mr Farage said: “What he [Musk] was saying online was that effectively Tommy Robinson was a political prisoner and I wouldn’t go along with that.

“If I had gone along with that, he wouldn’t have put out a tweet that was against me.

“By the way, you know, I can’t be pushed or bullied or made to change by anybody. I stick to what I believe.”

He also stressed that neither Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, or his supporters would be welcome within his party.

“I’ve never wanted to work with people who were active in the BNP. I’ve made that clear right throughout the last decade of my on/off political career. So that’s what the point of difference is,” he said.

In a previous interview with LBC, Mr Farage said he would travel to America for “four or five days” later this month to attend Donald Trump’s inauguration as US president, during which time he hoped to meet Mr Musk and repair their relationship.

He added: “Of course I want his support; of course I will talk to him in America in a few days’ time; of course I want to mend any broken fences that might exist. I’m sure we can do it.”