Elon Musk publicly withdrew his support for Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform UK party, stating that the party needs a new leader. This shift came after Farage had praised Musk, calling him a friend who made the party “cool.” Farage previously sought Musk’s financial support to help Reform challenge the UK’s major political parties, having secured 4.1 million votes in the last national election. However, both have faced controversy, particularly regarding Musk’s support for the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, who is imprisoned for contempt of court. Farage distanced himself from Musk’s endorsement of Robinson, asserting that Robinson does not align with Reform’s principles.
In addition to his remarks about Reform UK, Musk has commented on broader political issues in the UK, targeting Labour leader Keir Starmer for his handling of sexual abuse cases involving Pakistani heritage men. Starmer’s administration is likely to address Musk’s criticism without directly engaging with him, given Musk’s ties to influential figures like Donald Trump. Health minister Wes Streeting defended Starmer against Musk’s attacks, emphasizing the hard work involved in addressing serious criminal cases compared to Musk’s occasional criticisms.
