Musk could be about to supercharge Reform UK — and Labour MPs are worried
On immigration, multiculturalism and LGBTQI+ issues, the world’s richest man is aligned with Nigel Farage. Now he’s endorsing his party
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words — and the one Nigel Farage shared from Mar-a-Lago is certainly worth a headline or two. Standing beside two billionaires, Elon Musk and newly-appointed Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy, at Donald Trump’s Florida resort, Farage could be on the verge of getting personal help from one of the most influential men on the planet in his ambition to make Reform UK a major political player.
It is no surprise Musk, the world’s richest man, is looking to get involved in British politics given his role in the recent US election. He did not just cheer from the sidelines for Trump’s re-election: he jumped in with both feet. A donation in excess of $250m (£196m), campaign rallies, and even literal leaps of joy on stage beside Trump solidified Musk’s role in the political spotlight. Now, as a key figure in Trump’s incoming administration, his influence has never been more apparent.
Musk’s political trajectory really took off with his purchase of Twitter (now X) for a jaw-dropping $44bn (£34bn) in 2022. It was an eyebrow-raising business move, especially since the platform’s value has plummeted by nearly 80% since the deal. But Musk never claimed this was about profit. He has been open about buying Twitter to “defend freedom of expression” and, since owning the platform, he has reinstated Trump’s account and loosened content moderation. Critics argue this has turned X into a hub for conspiracy theories, hate speech and misinformation. But, for Musk, it has become a useful political tool, offering him the ability to reach voters — some of them, anyway — however he wants. In many respects, his purchase is not too different from businessmen buying newspapers in the 20th century to shape public opinion.
Musk himself appeals to a certain demographic. His devoted — predominantly young and male — following of more than 200 million on X means his words now carry huge weight. Politically, when someone with that level of influence and success stands beside you, it is more than a photo op: it’s a full-throated endorsement.
But what is Musk’s endgame? There are many theories. Money may be an unlikely motivator, although it is worth noting that shares in Musk’s electric vehicle company, Tesla, have nearly doubled since Trump’s victory, adding a staggering $170bn to his net worth, far more than his donation to Trump’s campaign or even the amount he spent on Twitter.
Then there is his role in the White House. Musk has been tasked with coming up with ideas to make federal government more “efficient” through the new Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) — not an official department, despite the name, but an advisory body that will look at spending and regulation — and is seen as having Trump’s ear to the extent that he has been dubbed the “First Buddy”. With his company SpaceX already enjoying billions of dollars in government contracts, these close ties could smooth the path for Musk’s Mars ambitions. They also allow him to influence policy that affects his other businesses, including Tesla and Neuralink.
So where does Farage’s Reform UK fit into all this? Given how critical Musk has been of Keir Starmer, frequently attacking his government on X, there is potentially a personal motivation. Musk has been vocal about his disdain for what he calls the “woke mind virus”, which he blames for his estranged relationship with his daughter, Vivian Jenna Wilson, who is trans. Musk claims he was tricked into signing off gender-affirming treatment for her — which Wilson disputes, saying Musk knew what he was doing. This personal experience, Musk has said, partly fuelled his support for Trump and now, seemingly, his interest in Farage and Reform, which in its manifesto similarly claimed that “transgender indoctrination” was “causing irreversible harm to children”.
On immigration and multiculturalism, too, Musk and Reform UK are aligned. Musk has posted regularly about the far-right UK riots that targeted immigrants, and Muslims in particular, in summer 2024. He shared a false news story about rioters being sent to “detainment camps” and referred to Starmer as “#TwoTierKeir”, in reference to the baseless conspiracy theory that authorities were treating rioters more harshly than they would minority groups. Musk even went so far as to claim that “civil war” was “inevitable” in the UK in response to a post saying the riots were due to “mass migration and open borders”.
Farage condemned the violence during the riots, but argued there was blame on both sides, taking aim at “Muslim extremist mobs” that he said had fuelled the situation.
Not only do Musk, Reform UK and Trump have ideological similarities, but Farage’s party also has a lot of potential to have a huge impact on the UK. At the last general election, it outperformed the Liberal Democrats in votes and, in addition to the five seats it secured, came second in 98 constituencies — 89 of which were won by Labour. A targeted campaign, combined with the usual mid-term dissatisfaction with ruling parties, could see it make serious gains. Several Labour MPs across the country have told me this is something they are hugely concerned about.
For a targeted campaign, which also works nationally, Reform UK will need money, and a lot of it. Candy is a billionaire in his own right and will be on hand to help build a war chest in his new role as the party’s treasurer — but his wealth pales in comparison to Musk’s. There is talk Musk might donate $100m (£78m), which would be the largest political contribution in UK history. As a US citizen, he can not legally donate more than £500 — but there’s always a workaround. Donations from UK-based entities, like the British arm of his social media company, X, are fair game, and he might opt to channel cash through the company in this way.
Farage confirmed that money was on the table during his recent meeting with Musk, with “negotiations ongoing”. While $100m might be ambitious, even a fraction of that could transform Reform UK’s prospects. Combine Musk’s celebrity status, vast wealth and social media megaphone and you potentially have a political force to reckon with.
Whether it’s about ideology, influence, or a mix of both, we saw Musk and Trump make history in the US. Musk and Farage could well try to do the same in Britain.
Shehab Khan is an award-winning presenter and political correspondent for ITV News
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