'Watch this space' Musk interest in British politics could have profound consequences

Elon Musk appears to have many obsessions. The world's richest man is evangelical about electric vehicles, space travel and Donald Trump.

- Ben Quinn Dan Milmo Kiran Stacey

Another of his interests may yet have profound consequences for Britain: British politics.

The billionaire is rumoured to be thinking of becoming the biggest donor in history, with a rumoured £80m payment to Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.

Like so many who embraced Trump's bellicose brand of rightwing populism, Musk watchers trace his radicalisation back to his frustration at lockdowns, and his growing dislike of Labour. Irritated at the way manufacturing was hit at his Tesla car plants, he started spending more time online, going on to test the boundaries of Twitter's rules on misinformation.

Now, having helped propel Trump into the White House, he is reportedly turning his interest to Britain.

Sources in Reform say they are unaware of Musk's spending plans, while he has also denied it. But if the Tesla and X owner follows his online criticism of Keir Starmer's government with a mega donation to Labour's opponents, it could prove one of the most consequential political acts of this parliament.

Within two years of his October 2022 purchase of the platform, Musk had already become a darling of the international far right who were grateful for his restoration of previously suspended accounts under the banner of free speech. But Musk then went further, using his own account to amplify the message of the far-right activist and convicted criminal, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson.

By the time of this year's rioting in English cities, Musk was engaged in a full-blown onslaught against the Labour government, claiming "civil war is inevitable" and describing the prime minister as "two-tier Keir" in an echo of a position that police were treating white far-right "protesters" more harshly than minority groups.