FARAGE HITS BACK
Farage admits losing Musk’s support DOES harm Reform but slams Americans for making Tommy Robinson ‘political prisoner’
Mr Farage also said he would be in the United States for Donald Trump's inauguration
NIGEL Farage has admitted losing Elon Musk's support does harm Reform UK and blasted Americans for making Tommy Robinson a "political prisoner".
The Reform leader made the comments during an appearance on LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast show at the Global Studios in London this morning.
5
5
5
He said he would be in the United States "for a good sort of four or five days" for Donald Trump's inauguration as president during which time he would meet billionaire Mr Musk.
Mr Farage continued: "I have no desire to go to war with Elon Musk and I'm not going to, and I haven't done.
"I'm a huge admirer of him, I think he's an heroic figure."
He was then asked whether losing his support would weaken Reform UK.
Read more Politics
He replied: "Not having Elon's support would damage us with that younger generation because he kind of makes us look cool, so I'm being frank about that and I am confident that whatever has been said, we can mend. I really think we can."
Mr Farage added: "It's not crucial. I mean look, if I was to embrace, as it looks like I was being urged to do, the sort of violent thuggish people like (Tommy) Robinson, that would do our party immense harm, and probably rightly so.
"So the fact that I've stood up on a point of principle, even if in the short term its to my detriment, in the long run may even work in our favour.
"Of course I want his support, of course I will talk to him in America in a few days' time, of course I want to mend any broken fences that might exist. I'm sure we can do it."
Most read in The Sun
Mr Musk previously shared a call on X to "free Tommy Robinson."
Speaking during a phone-in, Mr Farage said: "He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs.
Keir blasts ‘desperate’ Musk for ‘whipping up violence’ & says Tommy Robinson has ‘no interest in victims’ after X rant
"But of course, the truth is Tommy Robinson's in prison not for that, but for contempt of court.
"We're a political party aiming to win the next general election. He's not what we need."
Mr Farage also said Musk's description of Home Office minister Jess Phillips as a "rape genocide apologist" did not go "beyond the line".
The party leader said he did not "concur" with the description.
But he was asked if he would address Mr Musk's comments about Ms Phillips when he met the billionaire.
KEIR STARMER: There is no crime more vile than child abuse
Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
THERE is no crime more vile than child abuse.
The way that grooming gangs — many of them Asian — have preyed on vulnerable girls in some of our poorest communities is sickening.
I saw firsthand how these children were being failed when I was the country’s leading prosecutor.
Failure to believe working class girls. Or misplaced fears that a jury would not believe them.
Wrong-headed ideas about community relations.
These all played their part in denying these children justice and leaving the perpetrators free to continue abusing. It is an issue I tackled head on.
My fight to change the way that the prosecution service operated is a matter of public record.
Making sure the men responsible for these despicable acts were brought to justice. Put in the dock. Then behind bars.
That is why I brought the first prosecution for a grooming gang.
Far-right voices have tried to rewrite history.
Ludicrous claims that Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips and I are part of the problem, not the solution.
In truth, Jess has spent her entire life battling to keep women and girls safe.
The poison being pumped out by the far right should not surprise anyone.
Those spreading lies and misinformation are not interested in the victims.
Those cheerleading for Tommy Robinson — a thug who was jailed for almost collapsing a grooming case — are not interested in justice.
They are only interested in themselves.
But that has not stopped people who should know better jumping on that bandwagon.
They include some of the very politicians who had an opportunity to act, but instead sat on their hands.
Mr Farage responded: "If he was inciting violence, then that would be going beyond the line at which free speech is acceptable.
"It's very, very strong language and it offends many, but then free speech should be able to offend many."
Suggesting the language was chosen because Americans are "horrified" by reports of child sexual exploitation in the UK, he added: "You may find it offensive, I don't think it goes beyond the line."
Mr Farage also said his party would be prepared to set up an unofficial inquiry into grooming gangs if the Government did not act within "a few weeks".
He told LBC radio: "I honestly believe that through the police, through social services, through the last days of the Labour Government, through the entirety of the last Conservative government, there has been a concerted attempt to play this down for fear of what it might do, for fear of being called racist.
"The irony is that the attacks themselves were racist. This was anti-white female racism; Of that, I have no doubt."
Mr Farage said he could raise the money to fund an inquiry, and although it would not have legal powers to compel witnesses to attend, there would be an outcry if anyone did not co-operate.
"I will have no difficulty in raising the money to do this, whatsoever. We'll appoint independent ex-judges and experts," he said.
"I won't have the statutory powers but I tell you what, I think this would garner such massive public support that anybody asked to appear that didn't appear would look terrible."
Nigel Farage will not take legal action
NIGEL Farage has said he will not take legal action against Kemi Badenoch over her claim Reform UK had faked its membership numbers.
He told LBC: "I'm not going to sue over it because, as I said, I do believe in free speech.
"I was offended by it, I asked for an apology and one wasn't given so I'm going to go to her constituency on the 31st of this month.
"I'm going to hold a big event for all the Reform members living in her constituency, there are 417 of them when I last checked, paid-up members, bet it's more than she's got.
"There's another 800 supporters living in the constituency.
"And I'm going to do a big joint photo, Kemi, and say 'these are all our fake members and we are coming for you at the next election'."
The Conservative leader is MP for North West Essex.
Mr Farage also said he has bought a house in Clacton and was "meeting lots of constituents on a regular basis".
He has previously been criticised for not holding surgeries in his Essex constituency with some suggesting he has spent more time abroad than in Clacton.
But Mr Farage said he was planning a "massive event" for small businesses in Clacton later in January.
Her also claimed he was "out meeting constituents I bet far more than any MP has done for many, many years in Clacton".
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Adding that he had bought a house in Clacton, he said: "That's why you can see me out, often on a Saturday morning, out buying the essentials - limes, tonic, all that sort of thing.
"So I'm out meeting lots of constituents on a regular basis and, you know, actually working with community groups, and I've made a few donations to some local charities personally, I'm thoroughly enjoying the job."
5
5
Topics