Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage Meets Vice President-Elect JD Vance; Reports Suggest Elon Musk May Donate £78M to Farage’s Party
The Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, and billionaire property developer Nick Candy, husband of singer Holly Valance, held a key meeting on Monday, December 16, as Candy prepares to take up a fundraising role for Farage’s party in the new year.
The meeting followed reports that Elon Musk, the tech entrepreneur and owner of Tesla and social media platform X (formerly Twitter), was considering donating £78 million to Reform UK as a political statement. The alleged donation has been described as a “f*** you Starmer payment” in reference to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Nigel Farage later revealed he also met with JD Vance, who is set to become the Vice President of the United States under president-elect Donald Trump.
Musk’s Potential Donation and Legal Implications
The Times reported last month that if Musk proceeds with the donation, he would channel it through the British arm of X to circumvent UK regulations prohibiting foreign donations to political parties. However, both Farage and Nick Candy have denied these claims.
Farage clarified the situation, stating:
“Elon Musk is very supportive of what Reform is trying to do and supportive of me personally. We have connections with him, and Nick has good connections with him as well. At this stage, we have neither solicited nor been offered donations.”
Despite denying the reports, Farage and Candy admitted they would not reject a donation from Musk if offered.
Farage and Candy Praise Meeting with Musk at Mar-a-Lago
Following the meeting, Nigel Farage and Nick Candy issued a joint statement:
“We had a great meeting with Elon Musk for an hour yesterday. We learned a great deal about the Trump ground game and will have ongoing discussions on other areas. We only have one more chance left to save the West, and we can do great things together. Our thanks also to President Trump for allowing us to use Mar-a-Lago for this historic meeting. The special relationship is alive and well.”
Conservative Response and Concerns Over Foreign Influence
The news of Farage and Musk’s meeting has raised concerns about potential foreign influence in UK domestic politics. Earlier this month, the Conservative Party co-chair, Lord Johnson, criticized the situation, claiming Musk was attempting to “buy” Reform UK.
Lord Johnson expressed frustration, saying:
“It is extraordinary that Mr Musk is basically buying one of the political parties here. Nigel Farage should be embarrassed about that. If he accepts a donation, he risks becoming a puppet of a foreign politician.”
The tension between the Conservative Party and Reform UK has been escalating as Reform continues to gain public attention. Lord Johnson further commented that the reports were distracting from the Conservative Party’s efforts to promote its new agenda under ministers like Kemi Badenoch.
“We need to dominate public attention and ensure people focus on us, not an unrealistic alternative,” he said.
Government Stance on Donation Rules
When asked about a potential donation from Musk, the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson stated:
“There are existing rules on foreign donations, and the government has committed to strengthening these rules further.”
The ongoing speculation surrounding Musk’s involvement with Reform UK highlights growing concerns over political funding transparency and foreign influence ahead of the next general election.