Nigel Farage says talks with Elon Musk amid speculation of donation to Reform UK
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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested he has kicked off talks with Elon Musk for a potential donation to the party, saying the two had discussed money and that there will be “ongoing negotiations” with the tech billionaire.
Mr Farage described his hour-long meeting with Mr Musk at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday as “great” and “historic”, saying he and party treasurer Nick Candy had “learned a great deal about the Trump ground game”.
“We only have one more chance left to save the West and we can do great things together,” he said.
Mr Farage also met vice president-elect JD Vance during the trip.
The meeting follows newspaper reports, dismissed by Mr Farage, that X owner Mr Musk was preparing to donate up to $100 million dollars (€95m) to Reform UK.
Mr Farage has previously criticised American political figures for getting involved in British politics, saying then-president Barack Obama had “behaved disgracefully” by suggesting the UK would be “at the back of the queue” for a US trade deal if it voted for Brexit.
He had repeatedly insisted he knows nothing about a potential contribution to Reform from Mr Musk, but said the party would take the money if it were offered.
But writing in The Telegraph after the meeting, Mr Farage said Mr Musk described Labour and the Conservatives as “the uniparty” and “left us in no doubt that he is right behind us”.
“Inevitably, following such intense media speculation, the issue of money was discussed, and there will be ongoing negotiations on that score,” the Reform UK leader added.
The UK prime minister’s official spokesman said it was a “matter for the rules” when asked if a potential large donation by Mr Musk to a UK party would worry Keir Starmer.
He added: “There are already existing rules on foreign donations, but the Government has committed to, you know, to strengthening the rules.”
Mr Farage said his meeting with Mr Vance on Monday was “great”.
“He is a friend of mine and I have known him for 14 years – Kemi Badenoch has known him for 14 days,” he said.
Tory leader Mrs Badenoch met Mr Vance during a recent trip to the US where she met Republican figures in Washington DC.
Mr Farage has previously suggested he could be a bridge between Mr Starmer and Mr Trump due to his friendship with the US president-elect.
He said: “I have always said I will help this government with contacts.
“It isn’t just President Trump and the incoming vice president, but I have known large numbers of the cabinet for many years.
“I will always do what is in the national interest and renewing our strong ties with America after four years of Joe Biden can only be a good thing for our country.”
Mr Musk is reported to have spent more than $250m (€238m) to support Mr Trump’s re-election campaign, focused on increasing turnout in key states.
He has since been named as one of the two heads of a new cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency in the incoming Trump administration.
The visit is at least the fourth time Mr Farage has travelled to America since his election as MP for Clacton in July.