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Europe|Farage Says He Talked to Musk Last Week. Relationship is ‘Fine.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/29/world/europe/farage-musk-uk-politics.html
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Three weeks after a rift, the head of the populist Reform U.K. party said Elon Musk remains open to a donation that could shake up British politics.
Jan. 29, 2025, 1:35 p.m. ET
Three weeks after a very public rift, the populist British politician Nigel Farage said on Wednesday that his relationship with Elon Musk was “fine” and that the two men had spoken just last week.
Mr. Farage, in a brief interview with The New York Times, said that Mr. Musk, the world’s richest man, remained open to making a sizable donation to Reform U.K., the insurgent anti-immigration party. Mr. Musk has already shown a desire to wield influence in U.K. politics, even calling for the jailing of Britain’s prime minister, Keir Starmer.
The prospect of a huge donation from the multibillionaire tech mogul has led some politicians to suggest new restrictions on foreign donations.
Mr. Farage called Mr. Musk a “heroic figure” and said that discussions around a donation were “just about him having an appropriate vehicle.” In Britain, foreign donations are permitted but must be made through a U.K.-registered company.
“Nothing is closed off as far as I know,” Mr. Farage said one day after a fund-raiser that he said brought in more than 1 million pounds ($1.25 million), big money in British politics.
Mr. Musk did not respond on Wednesday to a message seeking comment sent by email.
Mr. Musk appeared poised to influence British politics on behalf of Reform, a party with a populist platform that closely mirrors Mr. Trump’s. But Mr. Musk seemed to sour on Mr. Farage abruptly early this month, declaring on social media, “The Reform Party needs a new leader.”
