Farage hopes to repair Musk relationship on trip to US
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Nigel Farage has insisted he can rebuild his relationship with Elon Musk after the billionaire called for him to be replaced as Reform UK’s leader. The Tesla and SpaceX owner, whom met Mr Farage in December and had been rumoured to be considering making a large donation to Reform, appeared to turn on the party leader over the weekend, tweeting that he “doesn’t have what it takes”.
The split followed Mr Farage’s continuing rejection of calls to support jailed, far-right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, whom Mr Musk has previously tweeted in favour of. Speaking during a phone-in on LBC on Tuesday, Mr Farage said that although Mr Musk’s support was not “crucial”, he thought Reform would be weaker without it.
He said: “Not having Elon’s support would damage us with that younger generation because he kind of makes us look cool, so I’m being frank about that, and I am confident that whatever has been said, we can mend. I really think we can.”. But, he added, it would have been more damaging for him to have heeded calls to “embrace” Robinson, a reversal of a long-standing policy of distancing his parties from “violent, thuggish people” and organisations such as the British National Party.
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.”.
