Elon Musk says Reform wants new chief and Nigel Farage ‘doesn’t have what it takes’ | EUROtoday

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Elon Musk has urged that Reform UK wants to interchange Nigel Farage with a brand new chief.

The Tesla tycoon mentioned Mr Farage, who based the celebration and is credited with its latest surge within the polls, “does not have what it takes”.

His name 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”.

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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 had been anticipated handy a multi-million-pound donation to Reform to help its efforts to win the following common election amid a feud with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer.

It is unclear why Mr Musk has withdrawn his assist from Mr Farage, who he met at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago mansion alongside Reform treasurer Nick Candy simply weeks in the past to debate the celebration’s floor sport and financing. Mr Farage and Mr Candy described their hour-long assembly as “great”.

But the dramatic U-turn comes after Mr Farage refused to hitch Mr Musk’s calls to launch jailed political activist Tommy Robinson.

On Friday night time, Mr Farage heaped reward on Mr Musk, calling him a “hero figure, especially for the youth”.

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But, after Mr Musk on X shared a name to “free Tommy Robinson”, Mr Farage mentioned: “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 actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is serving an 18-month jail sentence for contempt of courtroom, which started in October.

A Washington supply informed The Independent Mr Musk was “having a tantrum because Nigel pushed back on him” over Robinson. “He does this constantly here, too,” the supply added.

They mentioned: “I also heard he just went through a breakup, so he is having a big public meltdown.”

Pollster Luke Tryl, UK director at More in Common, mentioned: “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 residence workplace minister Jess Phillips and Sir Keir.

Mr Musk urged Jess Phillips “deserves to be in prison” for denying requests for the Home Office to steer a public inquiry into baby sexual exploitation in Oldham.

He additionally attacked Sir Keir Starmer, saying the prime minister didn’t deliver “rape gangs” to justice when he was director of public prosecutions.

Reform UK chief Mr Farage informed the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme that Mr Musk had used “very tough terms” however that “free speech was back” on X underneath his possession.

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He mentioned that “tough things get said… by both sides of the debate”, including that Mr Musk’s possession of X makes it a spot for “proper open debate”.

Mr Farage mentioned: “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 distinction, Labour’s shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting mentioned Mr Musk’s claims are a “disgraceful smear” contemplating the Labour minister’s efforts to assist victims of abuse.