The Reform UK leader has hit out at the elections watchdog for urging the prime minister to change the donation rules in light of Elon Musk’s potential bankroll.
Reform UK leader hits out at the Electoral Commission. (Image: Getty)
Nigel Farage has issued a stern warning to the Conservative and Labour parties after the Electoral Commission called “to protect the electoral system from foreign interference” in light of Elon Musk’s meeting with Reform UK.
Reform UK is in “open negotiations” with US billionaire and tech tycoon Mr Musk about him donating to the party.
But now doubt has been cast over whether it can actually happen as Britain’s election watchdog has urged the UK government to take a tougher stance on donations to political parties.
Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive of the elections watchdog, told the Guardian that linking donations to political parties to the UK profits of companies owned by foreigners needed to be changed.
The move would, in turn, place a cap on the amount of money that the Tesla CEO could donate to Mr Farage’s party.
Elon Musk held talks with Reform UK. (Image: Getty)
Responding to the article on the social media platform X, the Clacton MP said: “Once again the Electoral Commission prove themselves to be establishment stooges.
“Both Labour and the Tories are now terrified of Reform and Elon Musk. Never mind peerages for donations or the millions given to them by foreign businessman via UK companies in the past.”
In an eight word warning he added: “This old order needs to be swept away.”
The watchdog comments come after Mr Musk and Mr Farage held a meeting alongside the party’s new treasurer, Nick Candy, earlier this week at Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago resort in the US.
The trio discussed “saving the west” following Mr Candy pledging a “seven-figure” sum to Reform UK. They also “did talk about money”, Mr Farage revealed to the BBC.
However, the Electoral Commisson has urged the government to change the law allowing a donation from Mr Musk in order to retain the trust of the voters.
“It’s crucial that UK voters have trust in the financing of our political system, so they need to see how parties and campaigners are financed and how they spend that money at elections,” Rangarajan told the Guardian.
He said: “Our current laws include checks on the permissibility of donations and are intended to provide transparency over the source of political donations. But the system needs strengthening, and we have been calling for changes to the law since 2013, to protect the electoral system from foreign interference.”
He added: “We recommend three key changes: limit company donations to the money that they have made in the UK; legally require parties to conduct know-your-donor checks on donations to assess and manage their risks; and ensure those who donate to unincorporated associations are permissible donors. We are discussing these proposals with the government.”
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