Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has criticised Elon Musk over his support for far-right party Restore Britain, warning that the US tech billionaire could “split the right” in next month's Makerfield by-election.
Mr Musk published a series of posts in support of Restore Britain on his X platform on Sunday. The by-election in the English town will see Labour’s Andy Burnham, Mayor of Manchester, contest a seat so he can return to Westminster and challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the leadership of the party, and the UK.
Opinion polls suggest Mr Burnham is three percentage points ahead of Reform candidate Robert Kenyon, who came second when the town voted in the 2024 general election. Meanwhile, Restore Britain announced Rebecca Shepherd would run as its candidate in Makerfield.
Mr Farage has responded to Mr Musk's remarks by saying they would have "delighted" Mr Burnham. "Elon Musk has decided he will try to split the right of British politics as best he can," Mr Farage said. "This is supporting a party that's one man with a social media account. Quite what he's trying to achieve, I have no idea."
A Survation study in Makerfield put Mr Burnham on 43 per cent in the town, with Mr Kenyon on 40 per cent and Ms Shepherd on 7 per cent. The survey had sample size of only 504 respondents, but it is the first survey of the constituency since the by-election was called and the pollster said the results should be treated as an "indicative early look" of what lies ahead.
Restore Britain’s leader Rupert Lowe responded to Mr Farage, saying that “millions of Brits” are with the party. On Sunday, Mr Musk reposted a message from Mr Lowe with the comment "Restore Britain". The Tesla chief executive also posted "Restore Britain" in response to an interview by Reform's Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick.
Mr Musk has previously expressed support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Mr Farage has consistently distanced his party from him.
Mr Starmer continues to face calls to step down from senior MPs in his party after major local election losses this month. Jess Phillips, who resigned as safeguarding minister, repeated her calls at the Hay Festival on Monday.
Ms Phillips said she believed that a leadership contest would take place even if Mr Burnham lost the vote in Makerfield. "I think even if Andy Burnham doesn't win in Makerfield there will be a change of the Prime Minister," she added.
"I've never been to Wigan in my life, so I have absolutely no idea about the people there, so I shall go and find out. But, yes, I imagine Andy Burnham will win it, and I imagine then that the Prime Minister changes."
She said she felt "liberated" since her resignation. "I can sort of see where Keir Starmer and Keir Starmer's loyalists come from, in that the idea that we could repair a country so badly broken after years of austerity quite so quickly, is just a lie," she said. "But then also what he has not done is grab that particular mantle or even actually tell the story."
