A senior Tory urges Elon Musk not to support UK reform

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Conservative shadow minister Andrew Griffiths has urged Elon Musk to take another look at the Conservative Party before donating to Reform UK, highlighting his party’s low-tax, anti-woke credentials.

The Tesla billionaire discussed the idea of ​​donating to the repair during a meeting at Mar-a-Lago in Florida on Monday with party leader Nigel Farage and his new treasurer Nick Candy, the real estate mogul, according to Farage.

The prospect of a large donation from the world’s richest man to Farage’s right-wing populist party has sparked concern within the Conservative Party, which fears it will be overtaken by Reform in the upcoming UK general election.

Griffiths described Musk as an “extremely talented businessman” with interests in the UK who was interested in issues such as freedom of expression, or what he called the “woke mind virus.”

“I would say to him (Musk) or Nick, look at what the Conservative Party is doing,” Griffiths told the Financial Times in an interview on Wednesday. He said the Conservatives were the best way to oppose the Labor government led by Sir Keir Starmer.

“If you’re really serious about providing opposition to this socialist government, which a lot of people believe is a threat to free speech, actually, you know, take a proper look at the full list before jumping down any particular path,” Griffiths said.

The shadow business secretary stressed his role as City Chancellor last year in helping people, including Farage, who said they were blocked from opening bank accounts because of their political views.

He also pointed to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s criticism of the currently closed NHS Tavistock clinic in relation to children’s gender identity.

The possibility of Musk supporting Reform came into focus this week, as he, Farage and Candy, a former Conservative Party donor, were pictured together in a tweet by the Reform leader. Farage posted the image on Tuesday with the caption: “Britain needs reform.” Musk responded to the post: “Absolutely.”

Griffiths declined to comment on whether he wanted Musk, a prominent ally of Donald Trump, to instead donate to the Conservative Party, saying that was not part of his role.

But the shadow business secretary said he had spoken to senior figures in the incoming Trump administration in Washington and shared their views on seeking to spend taxpayers’ money more wisely.

“I’m not pretending I was going to Mar-a-Lago and tweeting about it, but I spent a week in Washington talking to people in and around the potential administration and what would happen about the efficiency of government,” he said. .

Also on Wednesday, a spokesman for Badenoch said the Tory leader was a “huge fan of Elon Musk and what he did with X.”

Her spokesman added that Badenoch supported the principle of the British version of “Doge”, which is Trump’s administration for government efficiency, which Musk will co-chair. The advisory unit aims to reduce bureaucracy.

Badenoch’s spokesman added that the newly elected opposition leader “believes there is too much regulation, and often our first response is more government” in Britain.

He did not set a figure for how much spending Badenoch would cut under the UK’s efficiency programme, but said: “There is a lot of fat to be trimmed.”

Downing Street declined to comment on Musk’s explicit opposition to Starmer. The prime minister’s spokesman said Starmer “has been very clear that we look forward to working with President Trump and his entire administration.”