By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-07 10:41:57 | Updated at 2025-01-08 11:30:03
1 day ago
Nigel Farage lashed out at US politicians for supporting 'thuggish' Tommy Robinson today - as he tried to mend his relationship with Elon Musk.
The Reform UK leader criticised rightwing Americans who believe the incarcerated former EDL leader is a 'political prisoner' and said he was trying to 'educate' them.
Mr Musk on Sunday called for Mr Farage to be replaced as Reform leader, after he refused to follow the X owner and Donald Trump aide in calling for Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - to be freed.
The pint-sized far-right leader is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court over social media messages about a teenage migrant, which began in October.
American multi-billionaire Musk has spent the past week fixated on UK politics, specifically over British Asian sex abuse gangs in northern towns.
But speaking to LBC radio today Mr Farage said that while he wanted to 'mend fences' with Musk at Trump's inauguration later this month, supporting Robinson was not going to happen.
'Many of my American friends have seen one side of the Robinson story. He says he is in prison for exposing the grooming gangs and they go ''oh my goodness me, this is dreadful, he is a political prisoner'',' he said.
'The fact is he has been in prison many times over the years - three times for contempt of court - and once he almost brought down a trial at which gang rapists were ultimately convicted.
The Reform UK leader criticised rightwing Americans who believe the incarcerated former EDL leader is a 'political prisoner' and said he was trying to 'educate' them.
Mr Musk on Sunday called for Mr Farage to be replaced as Reform leader, after he refused to follow the X owner and Donald Trump aide in calling for Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - to be freed.
The pint-sized far-right leader is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court over social media messages about a teenage migrant, which began in October.
'I am on a campaign in America at the moment to educate people as to just who Tommy Robinson really is.'
Speaking during the phone-in, the Reform leader said he would be in the United States 'for a good sort of four or five days' for Donald Trump's inauguration as president.
'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,' Mr Farage said.
Asked whether losing his support would weaken Reform UK, he added: '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.'
He 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.'
The Reform leader also said Musk's description of Home Office minister Jess Phillips as a 'rape genocide apologist' did not go 'beyond the line'.
The Reform UK leader said he did not 'concur' with the description.
But asked if he would address Mr Musk's comments about Ms Phillips when he met the billionaire, Mr Farage said: '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.'
