Nigel Farage has distanced himself from Elon Musk’s controversial support for jailed far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson. The tech billionaire recently joined calls for Yaxley-Lennon’s release, following his October imprisonment for contempt of court after repeating false claims about a Syrian refugee.
While Farage has embraced Musk’s backing in other contexts, including flying to Florida to meet him, this particular stance has prompted discomfort. Addressing Reform UK’s East Midlands conference in Leicester, Farage acknowledged Musk’s influence but emphasized his differing views. “Elon has a whole range of opinions, some of which I agree with very strongly, and others of which I am more reticent about,” he stated.
Despite his reservations, Farage described Musk as a “remarkable new entrant” into American politics and lauded his acquisition of Twitter (now X). “At least with Elon, we’ve got free speech back,” Farage declared, adding, “Whether we like everything he says or not, he is a hero.”
The relationship between the two remains politically significant. Musk is rumored to be considering a sizeable donation to Reform UK, with Farage believing the billionaire’s support could prove “very helpful” to the party’s ambitions.
However, Musk’s recent online comments have sparked backlash from across the political spectrum. Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticized Musk’s accusations against the UK government’s handling of grooming gangs, calling them “misjudged and certainly misinformed.” Musk’s posts targeted Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, accusing them of negligence and even calling for Phillips’ imprisonment.
Streeting defended the government’s commitment to addressing child sexual exploitation, while the Conservatives also condemned Musk’s remarks, accusing him of sharing factually inaccurate information.
The episode underscores the complexities of aligning with a figure as outspoken and polarizing as Musk. For Farage, the challenge lies in balancing Musk’s financial and ideological backing with the potential fallout from his more controversial stances.
