A few weeks ago, the possibility of a donation of one hundred million dollars (121 million euros) from the richest man on the planet to Reform UK caused conservatives to jump, who feared this rapprochement.
The vice-president of the Tories, Dominic Johnson, accused Elon Musk of “buying” the party of Nigel Farage, whose push in the last legislative elections contributed to the debacle of the Conservatives, and who displays his ambitions for the next legislative elections in 2029 .
The risk for the Tories of being overtaken by the far right is very real, following a trend observed in Europe, believes Russell Foster, professor of political science at King’s College.
“People like Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Nigel Farage (…) really hate the traditional right” which they accuse in particular of having become too liberal on societal issues. Conservative parties in difficulty in Europe “were not destroyed by the left or the center, they were destroyed because even more right-wing movements developed,” he adds.
Concern in the United States: Elon Musk announces a list of positions he wants to eliminate, “it’s his way of intimidating people into resigning”
“Tyrannic” state
For the moment, it is mainly the Labor government of Keir Starmer that Elon Musk is attacking on his social network X. And this since the anti-migrant and Islamophobic riots which broke out last summer in the United Kingdom. The founder of Space
A very popular speech among British far-right influencers, readmitted on X since its acquisition by Musk in 2022.
He also advised people against going to the United Kingdom, accusing the government, forced to release certain detainees due to lack of prison space, of “releasing pedophiles to make room for people convicted for their messages on social networks” .
And he backed a petition on X for new general elections, accusing Labor of running “a tyrannical police state”.
Elon Musk “seems to believe that he is on a mission against the establishment”, underlines Russell Foster, and this is “in a context where the British no longer have confidence in their government, their institutions”.
For some observers, it would also be motivated by the desire of the British government to toughen legislation on social networks. This summer, in the wake of anti-immigration riots, Keir Starmer denounced violence “clearly fueled online”.
Keir Starmer then failed to invite Musk to a foreign investment summit in September. An affront badly experienced by the billionaire, according to relatives quoted in the media.
But the situation has become complicated since the election to the White House of Donald Trump, from whom Elon Musk has become inseparable.
Especially since Labor, historically closer to the Democrats, has made efforts in recent months to establish contacts with the Republicans. Starmer notably met Trump in September in New York.
A Downing Street spokesperson assured that Keir Starmer “looked forward to working with President Trump and his entire team, including Elon Musk”.
“Starmer is well aware that he cannot alienate the future American president” and that to “maintain this ‘special relationship’, no matter who occupies the White House, we must be pleasant with Washington”, underlines Russell Foster.
Former Labor minister Peter Mandelson, tipped to become ambassador to the United States, said it was “unwise” to ignore Elon Musk, calling on Labor to “swallow its pride” and put an end to this “quarrel”. Even if it means, according to him, asking Nigel Farage to renew ties with the turbulent billionaire.
