Nigel Fage has been seemingly turned up by his friend Elon Musk (Image: PA )
Nigel Farage has enjoyed soaring poll ratings and what appeared to be – but now his billionaire friend as seemingly questioned if he is the right man to lead Reform UK.
Just a few weeks ago Mr Farage and SpaceX founder Mr Musk were pictured beaming next to one another after a meeting at President-elect ‘s Mar-A-Lago estate in the US.
A statement at the time from Reform described the “great meeting” as a “chance to save the West”, and it was followed by the suggestion Mr Musk, the world’s richest man, could donate as much as £79 million to the British political party.
But in a bombshell post on the on January 5: “The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes.”
Mr Farage had defended the tech tycoon’s attacks on the UK Government over its handling of grooming gangs in a series of posts on X, although he had distanced himself from Mr Musk’s support for jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson, saying he was “not what we need”.
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Elon Musk (centre) and Nigel Farage (right) had enjoyed a good relationship it appeared (Image: PA )
Mr Farage posted on X in response: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree.
“My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.”
After his volte-face post about Mr Farage, Mr Musk then appeared to endorse Rupert Lowe, one of the Reform UK’s five MPs, as a replacement.
“I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense,” Mr Musk wrote in response to a post asking whether the Great Yarmouth MP and former Southampton FC chairman should take over the top job.
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Elon Musk made positive noises about Reform MP Rupert Lowe (Image: Getty )
The Prime Minister is expected to face questions today (Monday) about Mr Musk’s attacks on his Government over past grooming gang cases as campaigners call for Labour to set up a child protection authority.
Sir has so far not spoken to defend his record since the slew of online posts from the tech billionaire, who is a key member of US President-elect ‘s inner circle.
As he returns from Parliament’s Christmas recess, the Prime Minister is likely to face questions over Mr Musk’s tweets and calls from other parties to launch a new inquiry into child sexual exploitation.
The chairwoman of a previous inquiry that uncovered wide-ranging failings in how institutions protected children said she was not seeking a new probe, but for the Government to take the steps recommended in her final report more than two years ago.