Elon Musk has expressed an interest in backing a rival party to Reform UK, according to reports. The US tech billionaire is said to have indicated that he would support a credible alternative to Nigel Farage’s party in the wake of the Rupert Lowe row.
The Great Yarmouth MP lost the whip on Friday amid allegations about his conduct, which he denies. Splits emerged a day earlier when Mr Lowe questioned Mr Farage’s leadership of Reform in an outspoken interview.
Allies of Mr Musk, who has a key role in Donald Trump’s administration, told the Financial Times that he has signalled he would back an alternative to the Right-wing party.
The Tesla boss did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.
Mr Farage travelled to the US to meet the X owner last December amid reports the businessman was set to donate up to £100million to Reform.
But Mr Musk later claimed the Reform leader “doesn’t have what it takes” and went on to suggest that Mr Lowe could be a potential replacement.
A civil war erupted in Reform last Thursday when Mr Lowe told the Daily Mail that Reform remains a “protest party led by the Messiah” under Mr Farage.
Asked whether he thought the former Ukip leader had the potential to become prime minister, as his supporters have suggested, the MP said: “It’s too early to know whether Nigel will deliver the goods. He can only deliver if he surrounds himself with the right people.”
In a statement on Friday, Reform said Mr Lowe had been reported to the police over alleged “threats of physical violence” to party chairman Zia Yusuf.
It also claimed that two women working in the MP’s offices had made complaints about “workplace bullying” and “derogatory remarks”.
Mr Lowe said the allegations of bullying do not relate to him and were made by staff who themselves faced disciplinary action.
He also questioned the timing of the police report after Scotland Yard confirmed it was assessing a complaint the force received on Thursday about an alleged incident last December.