Farage admits losing Musk's support DOES harm Reform but blasts Americans for making Tommy Robinson 'political prisoner'

01/07/2025 04:29 AM

NIGEL Farage has admitted losing Elon Musk’s support does harm Reform and blasted Americans for making Tommy Robinson a “political prisoner”.

Speaking during a phone-in on LBC radio, the Reform leader said he would be in the United States “for a good sort of four or five days” for Donald Trump’s inauguration as president, during which time he would meet billionaire Mr Musk.

Mr Farage said: “I have no desire to go to war with Elon Musk and I’m not going to, and I haven’t done. I’m a huge admirer of him, I think he’s an heroic figure.”

Asked whether losing his support would weaken Reform UK, Mr Farage said: “Not having Elon’s support would damage us with that younger generation because he kind of makes us look cool, so I’m being frank about that and I am confident that whatever has been said, we can mend. I really think we can.”

He added: “It’s not crucial. I mean look, if I was to embrace, as it looks like I was being urged to do, the sort of violent thuggish people like (Tommy) Robinson, that would do our party immense harm, and probably rightly so.

“So the fact that I’ve stood up on a point of principle, even if in the short term its to my detriment, in the long run may even work in our favour.

“Of course I want his support, of course I will talk to him in America in a few days’ time, of course I want to mend any broken fences that might exist. I’m sure we can do it.”

Mr Farage also said Musk’s description of Home Office minister Jess Phillips as a “rape genocide apologist” did not go “beyond the line”.

The Reform UK leader said he did not “concur” with the description.

But asked if he would address Mr Musk’s comments about Ms Phillips when he met the billionaire, Mr Farage said: “If he was inciting violence, then that would be going beyond the line at which free speech is acceptable.

“It’s very, very strong language and it offends many, but then free speech should be able to offend many.”

Suggesting the language was chosen because Americans are “horrified” by reports of child sexual exploitation in the UK, he added: “You may find it offensive, I don’t think it goes beyond the line.”