Farage distances himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk backs far-right activist
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Reform UK leader heaps praise on tech billionaire Musk, but says Robinson not what his party needs. Nigel Farage has distanced himself from Tommy Robinson after Elon Musk swung behind the jailed political activist, calling for his release. The Reform UK leader said Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is “not what we need”, as his party seeks to challenge Labour in upcoming elections.
![[Nigel Farage heaped praise on Elon Musk but distanced himself from the Tesla tycoon over his support for Tommy Robinson]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/03/19/44fda2f22b18690d201d09c2cf04f380Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2MDE5NDIw-2.74976999.jpg)
Mr Farage heaped praise on Mr Musk, reportedly mulling a multi-million pound donation to his party, calling him a “hero figure, especially for the youth”. But, ahead of his party’s East Midlands Conference in Leicester on Friday evening, he distanced his party from Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court which began in October.
![[Tommy Robinson is in jail for contempt of court]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/02/18/newFile-3.jpg)
Mr Musk wrote on his social media website X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday: “Free Tommy Robinson.”. Asked about the tech billionaire’s post, Mr Farage told GB News: “He’s attacking the leadership of Britain.”. Turning to the UK government’s handling of child grooming gangs, amid calls for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham, the party leader continued: “I mean, (Mr Musk is) saying Britain has been terribly badly led and that the grooming scandal, the mass rape scandal which has resurfaced and transcripts of what was said in court have been online – and I recommend you at home don’t read them, you won’t sleep at night.
