Elon Musk has reignited his conflict with Nigel Farage and once again expressed his backing for far-right figure Tommy Robinson. The billionaire tech mogul criticized Mr. Farage as “ineffective” in response to his immigration strategies, while endorsing Advance UK, a new far-right faction established by Ben Habib, former deputy leader of Reform UK, and endorsed by Robinson.
Musk’s remarks were triggered by a tweet from Robinson, who urged Rupert Lowe, a former Reform UK MP ousted after a dispute with Mr. Farage, to join Advance UK. Musk, the owner of Tesla, asserted that Advance UK would bring about real change, contrasting Farage as lacking the ability to make a difference. Additionally, he criticized Farage’s immigration proposals, stating that they would do little to safeguard Britain.
Earlier in January, Musk had criticized Mr. Farage’s leadership abilities and sided with Mr. Lowe. The clash between the two escalated after Mr. Farage praised Musk, calling him a “hero,” following their meeting at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Responding to Musk’s latest criticism, a source from Reform UK commented, “They’re all welcome to each other.”
Furthermore, Mr. Lowe, who has established another right-wing party named Restore Britain, criticized Mr. Farage’s migration strategies as feeble. Mr. Farage faced backlash from charities and activists for his harsh deportation plans, which involve detaining women and children.
Mr. Lowe and Mr. Farage have been engaged in a heated public feud lately, beginning when Mr. Lowe accused Mr. Farage of behaving like a “messiah” and hinted at his possible departure at the next election. Subsequently, Mr. Lowe was suspended from the party and reported to the police over alleged threats towards the party’s chairman, Zia Yusuf, but no criminal charges were filed.
Moreover, Mr. Habib criticized Reform UK upon leaving the party, arguing against it being under the control of a single individual, Mr. Farage. He established Advance UK earlier this year with the aim of uniting the most skilled and courageous individuals in the political landscape.
