Nigel Farage’s Reform UK leader position faces scrutiny ahead of the Makerfield by-election after an intervention by US tech billionaire Elon Musk boosts a rival far-right party. Multiple outlets report that Musk has publicly endorsed Restore Britain, a party set up by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe after he left Reform following a public dispute with Farage. Musk’s support centres on a retweet or post on X by Lowe describing Restore Britain as being “under brutal assault by the establishment.”
Farage reacts by accusing Musk of trying to “split the right of British politics,” arguing that Restore is tied to Lowe’s personal prominence as a social media figure. Farage also suggests Labour’s Andy Burnham would benefit from Musk’s endorsement.
The by-election on 18 June in Greater Manchester is widely framed as a close contest. Polling cited across reports shows Burnham and Reform’s Robert Kenyon running close, with Restore Britain trailing but potentially holding enough support to affect the result. Several sources say Restore Britain’s online momentum on X, alongside the Musk signal, is a key concern for Reform and could influence vote transfers among right-leaning voters.
