By William Schomberg
LONDON (Reuters) – Elon Musk said Nigel Farage should resign as leader of Britain's right-wing Reform Party, in a surprise reversal of support for the U.S. billionaire for the Brexit campaigner who is trying to shake up Britain's political establishment again.
“The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn't have what it takes,” Musk said on his social media platform
Musk – a close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump – appears to support Farage and took a photo with him last month.
Islah received 4.1 million votes, or 14% of the total votes, and five seats in parliament in the national elections last July.
Media recently speculated that Musk may make a large cash donation to the Reform Foundation to help it challenge the dominant Labor and Conservative parties.
But Farage distanced himself from comments made by Musk in support of British anti-immigration and anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who is serving a prison sentence for contempt of court.
Farage responded to Musk's post on Sunday, saying: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable person but I'm afraid I don't agree with that opinion. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not fit for reform and I would never give up on my principles.” ”
Last month, Musk endorsed the Alternative for Germany (AfD), an anti-immigration and anti-Islam party that German security services described as a far-right party ahead of national elections in February.
Musk has previously sought to influence British politics, and has repeatedly criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Tesla (NASDAQ:) founder last week called for a national investigation into the handling of cases of Pakistani-origin men raping underage girls while Starmer was heading government prosecutors.
A 2014 investigation found that at least 1,400 children had been sexually exploited in Rotherham, northern England, between 1997 and 2013.
On Sunday, British Health Minister Wes Streeting defended Starmer and another member of his cabinet, Jess Phillips, who had angered Musk by saying any new investigation should be dealt with by the local authority.
“It's all too easy to sit there and hastily launch something and hit 'send' when people like Keir Starmer and Jess Phillips are working so hard to lock up wife beaters, rapists and child molesters,” Streeting told the BBC.
