Nigel Farage: I am sorry that Elon Musk disagrees with me, but I won't change Reform for anyone. And he doesn't know the full story about Tommy Robinson

Elon Musk's support for Tommy Robinson suggests the Tesla billionaire doesn't know the 'full story' about the far-right activist's political and criminal past, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told MailOnline today.

The MP for Clacton, 60, also doubled down on his refusal to have the English Defence League founder in his party, declaring: 'Extremism is not welcome in Reform'.

'My principles are clear and I don't change them for anyone', he said.

The tech billionaire yesterday called for Mr Farage to be replaced as Reform UK's leader, triggered by Mr Farage's rejection of pressure from Mr Musk to join forces with Robinson. Musk has also called for Sir Keir Starmer to be jailed accusing the PM of being 'complicit in the rape of Britain' over the grooming gangs scandal.

His row with Mr Farage came despite a recent warm meeting at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and rumours that the Twitter owner wanted to donate as much as $100million (£79million) to Reform.

Robinson, who was jailed for 18 months in October for contempt of court, was a member of the far-right BNP and any supporter of that group will never be welcome in his party, Mr Farage said today.

Mr Farage told MailOnline: 'I am sorry that Elon disagrees and I doubt that he knows the full story about Robinson, my principles are clear and I don't change them for anyone.  Extremism is not welcome in Reform'.

He went on: 'I am the leader of Reform UK and we are growing fast and trying to win the next general election. This man would not be an asset to our party and we do believe in the rule of law. No former BNP members are welcome in our party'.

Although the Reform leader also admitted that he believes that 'much' of what Robinson says about Islam 'is right'. 

It came as Musk took more transatlantic potshots at Mr Farage, sharing a video of the Brexiteer last year saying that there must be a crackdown on Muslim extremism in Britain but you cannot 'politically alienate the whole of Islam' in Britain. 

Elon Musk has said that Robinson is a political prisoner who should be released from jail. Mr Farage does not agree. 

'Tommy Robinson campaigns against Islam. Much of what he says is right and, despite repeatedly breaking the law, he should not be held in solitary confinement', Mr Farage said.

After Mr Farage said Robinson was not welcome in the party, Musk yesterday called for him to be removed in a surprise attack in which the world's richest man declared: 'Farage doesn't have what it takes.'

Only hours earlier the MP for Clacton had praised Musk as a 'hero figure, especially for the youth'. 

Mr Musk and Mr Farage met less than three weeks ago at the incoming US president's Mar-a-Lago estate.

But after a week in which he has used his social media platform to attack major UK political figures on the left over sex abuse gangs, he astonished right-wing politics by gunning for Mr Farage. 

He did not clarify why he had changed his mind, but the volte face came just a day after Mr Farage distanced Reform from Musk's support for Tommy Robinson, the jailed co-founder of the far-right English Defence League. 

And in a later tweet Mr Musk appeared to throw his support behind Rupert Lowe, the political novice Reform MP for Great Yarmouth and former chairman of Southampton Football Club.

Replying to a tweet suggesting Mr Lowe take over, Mr Musk wrote: 'I have not met Rupert Lowe, but his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense.'

Reform MP Lee Anderson backed Mr Farage, writing: 'I would not be here without Nigel. And Nigel is right. Over the next four years, Reform UK led by Nigel is going to fight for the heart and souk of our beautiful country.'  

Former Ukip MEP Patrick O'Flynn said Mr Musk's attack on Mr Farage would probably end hopes of a big donation. 

But he said Mr Farage was right to reject joining forces with Robinson, whose toxic public image would wreck hopes of a major electoral breakthrough. Reform chairman Zia Yusuf also backed Mr Farage as the 'only hope to undo the damage done to this great country and return it to greatness'.

Ladbrokes last night installed Mr Lowe as 2/1 favourite to be Reform's next leader. But there is no formal mechanism for changing leader at Reform – a private company controlled by Mr Farage.

Mr Lowe said he 'looked forward to working with Nigel' on preparing Reform for the next election.

Mr Farage yesterday morning referred to Musk as his 'American friend' and refused to criticise him over remarks he made about Sir Keir Starmer and senior ministers which have been branded inflammatory.

Keir Starmer hit back at Elon Musk today in the increasingly bitter spat over his record on grooming gang cases.

The PM mounted a robust defence as he took questions after laying out NHS waiting list plans this morning. 

Sir Keir said 'child sexual exploitation is utterly sickening' and victims had been 'let down' - but he insisted he had tackled the issues 'head on' as director of public prosecutions.

The premier accused opposition politicians of 'amplifying what the far-right is saying' after falling to act 'for 14 long years'.

He insisted he would fight the 'poison' from extremists, arguing that those who are 'spreading lies and misinformation.. are not interested in victims, they are interested in themselves'. 

Sir Keir did not mention Mr Musk by name and said he did not 'really have any comment' on the billionaire asking followers on his X social media site whether the US should 'liberate' Britain from its 'tyrannical government'.

'I think most people are more interested about the NHS... rather than what's happening on Twitter,' he said. 

Sir Keir said he was making a 'general point' and did not want to 'individualise' the row to Mr Musk. He suggested that until recently the Tories would have 'called out' attacks on Home Office minister Jess Phillips, saying a 'line had been crossed' and she had suffered threats. 

The Tesla and Space X mogul, a key ally of returning US President Donald Trump, has been launching a blizzard of attacks on Sir Keir over the festive period.

Mr Musk has claimed the premier was 'complicit' in allowing the gangs' activities to continue unchecked. 

This morning he posted on his X social media site that Sir Keir should be in 'prison'.

Speaking in Surrey, the PM said he had been responsible for authorising the first prosecution of an Asian grooming gang, and changed the 'whole approach' of the CPS. 

He stressed that his record in the role was 'not secret' and everything was a matter of public record. 

Sir Keir added: 'Jess Phillips does not need me or anybody else to speak on her behalf, but when the poison of the far-right leads to serious threats to Jess Phillips and others, then in my book, a line has been crossed.

'I enjoy the cut and thrust of politics, the robust debate that we must have, but that's got to be based on facts and truth, not on lies, not on those who are so desperate for attention that they're prepared to debase themselves and their country.

'So this Government will get on with the job of protecting victims, including child sexual abuse, mandatory reporting, accelerating the processes. But what I won't tolerate is this discussion, debate based on lies without calling it out.

'What I won't tolerate is politicians jumping on the bandwagon simply to get attention, when those politicians sat in government for 14 long years, tweeting, talking, but not doing anything about it. Now, so desperate for attention that they're amplifying what the far-right is saying.'

Sir Keir has faced questions in recent days over a 2009 decision by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop a major case against an alleged grooming gang in Rochdale. 

The chairwoman of a previous inquiry that uncovered wide-ranging failings in how institutions protected children has said she is not seeking a new probe - but urged ministers to implement recommendations from her final report more than two years ago.

'Our mission is not to call for new inquiries but to advocate for the full implementation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse's recommendations. A Child Protection Authority is critical to this process,' said Professor Alexis Jay.

Writing in yesterday's Mail on Sunday, Kemi Badenoch said an inquiry should 'identify the bodies that failed as well as the individuals who facilitated or ignored these crimes so they can be removed from their roles'.

Nigel Farage also backed an inquiry – and said it was fair for Mr Musk to question what role, if any, Sir Keir had in decisions not to pursue serious allegations in Rochdale in 2009.