Losing Elon Musk’s support would harm Reform UK but the relationship can be mended, Nigel Farage has said.
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 Musk took to his platform X, formerly Twitter, calling for Mr Farage to stand down as Reform UK leader, saying he “doesn’t have what it takes.”.
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.”
Farage also said he will not take legal action against Kemi Badenoch over her claim Reform UK had faked its membership numbers.
He told LBC: “I’m not going to sue over it because, as I said, I do believe in free speech.
“I was offended by it, I asked for an apology and one wasn’t given so I’m going to go to her constituency on the 31st of this month.
“I’m going to hold a big event for all the Reform members living in her constituency, there are 417 of them when I last checked, paid-up members, bet it’s more than she’s got. There’s another 800 supporters living in the constituency.
“And I’m going to do a big joint photo, Kemi, and say ‘these are all our fake members and we are coming for you at the next election’.”
The Conservative leader is MP for North West Essex.
