The leaders of Reform UK and Restore Britain have clashed ahead of the pivotal by-election that could return Labour’s Andy Burnham to Parliament
Tech Billionaire Elon Musk(Image: Kevin Dietsch, Getty Images)
Nigel Farage has criticised tech billionaire Elon Musk over his support for Restore Britain, warning he could “split the right” in the upcoming Makerfield by-election.
The SpaceX and Tesla boss posted a series of messages backing Restore Britain on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
Labour’s Andy Burnham hopes to use the Makerfield contest to return to Westminster, which could potentially see the Mayor of Greater Manchester potentially launch a bid to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister.
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Reform’s UK Robert Kenyon came second in the seat in 2024 and an opinion poll suggested Mr Burnham has a lead of just three percentage points over him.
But with Restore Britain’s candidate picking up support, Mr Farage said Mr Burnham would be “delighted” by Mr Musk’s intervention.
Speaking to the Telegraph, the Reform UK leader said: “Elon Musk has decided he will try to split the right of British politics as best he can.
“This is supporting a party that’s one man with a social media account. Quite what he’s trying to achieve, I have no idea.”
The Survation study in Makerfield had a sample size of just 504 respondents of whom 369 said they were likely to vote but is the first survey of the constituency since the by-election was called and the pollster said it should be treated as an “indicative early look”.
It put Mr Burnham on 43%, Mr Kenyon on 40% with Restore Britain’s Rebecca Shepherd on 7%.
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Responding, Restore Britain UK leader Rupert Lowe, a former Reform UK MP, said: “Farage has just gone to the media to attack Restore Britain, again.
“He says that Elon Musk is supporting a party ‘that’s one man with a social media account’.
“This is where Farage is so very wrong.”
He said there were “millions of Brits who are with us” and “Farage can arrogantly insult me over and over, but he has never been more wrong”.
Mr Lowe, who has a long-running feud with Mr Farage said: “This party isn’t about me, it never has been.
“It is about our members, our people, our home. Not me. Them.
“That is something he will never understand, and ultimately it’s why he will lose.”
On Sunday, Mr Musk reposted a message from Mr Lowe with the comment “Restore Britain”.
He also posted “Restore Britain” in response to an interview by Reform’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick.
