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Nigel Farage said on Tuesday that Elon Musk had “seriously considered” making a donation to his Reform UK party as it seeks to strengthen ties with President-elect Donald Trump.
Farage had an hour-long meeting with tech billionaire and Reform UK’s new treasurer Nick Candy at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Monday, the party said in a statement.
“Money was discussed. We are negotiating whether he can help,” Farage said. “He is so motivated by events in the UK that he is seriously considering donating money.”
musk is set to head a new so-called Ministry of Government Efficiency and appears to have become deeply involved in Trump’s transition team, holding meetings with world leaders.
Former minister Peter Mandelson, who is in the running to become the next US ambassador, has previously called on the UK to use Farage to do so amid the billionaire’s criticism of Sir Keir Starmer’s government and his concerns about the Fostering closer ties with Musk The boss could undermine official diplomatic channels between the two nations.
Musk, who also runs Tesla and SpaceX, denied a report earlier this month that he was preparing a $100 million donation to Farage’s party, although the meeting came after Candy promised to boost the organization’s fundraising efforts.
Farage is trying to turn his political start-up – which won five seats in July’s general election – into a credible instrument of power by building a ground campaign in areas where the party already has significant support.
This includes parts of northern and eastern England and Wales. In the United Kingdom elections the party came second with 98 seats, 89 of which went to Labor.
The party now has more than 100,000 members, but raising more money will be crucial to improving its electoral chances.
“We have learned a lot about Trump’s ground game and will have further discussions on other areas,” Farage and Candy said in a joint statement. “We only have one chance to save the West and we can achieve great things together.”
Candy, a former Tory donor, announced last week he was joining the party as treasurer, pledging to donate at least £1m of his own money to Reform and raise “tens of millions” more.
As Farage appeared earlier this month
Farage hopes the reform will make significant progress in May’s local elections, when he believes it can win several hundred council seats and at least one mayoralty.
The party has been boosted in recent weeks by several high-profile departures from the Conservative Party, including former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns, who will stand for Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire; Tim Montgomerie, founder of the Conservative Home website; and Rael Braverman, the husband of former Home Secretary and sitting Tory MP Suella Braverman.
Farage first met Musk in October when he was introduced by Trump, and told the Financial Times he was impressed by the Tesla boss’s “incredible knowledge” of Britain, “even farmers and inheritance tax.”
Elon Musk has been contacted for comment.
