LONDON (Reuters)

US billionaire Elon Musk said on Sunday (January 5) that Nigel Farage should step down as the leader of Britain’s right-wing Reform UK party in an abrupt withdrawal of support.

“The Reform Party needs a new leader. Farage doesn’t have what it takes,” Musk said on his social media platform X.com.

Musk had seemingly backed Brexit campaigner Farage and posed for a photograph with him as recently as last month.

Media had speculated that Musk – a close ally of US President-elect Donald Trump – might make a big cash donation to Reform to help it challenge Britain’s dominant Labour and Conservative parties.

But on Saturday, Farage distanced himself from comments made by Musk in support of British anti-Muslim activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known by the pseudonym Tommy Robinson, who is serving a prison sentence.

Farage responded to Musk’s post on Sunday saying: “Well, this is a surprise! Elon is a remarkable individual but on this I am afraid I disagree. My view remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles.”

Last month, Musk endorsed the Alternative for Germany, an anti-immigration, anti-Islamic party labelled as right-wing-extremist by German security services ahead of national elections in February.