Musk's possible meddling in UK politics stirs concern

I can speak with a certain level of authority here, being from that side of the pond.

Nigel Farage is widely despised in the UK, and the people who do like him tend to be pond life, like hardcore racists and Brexit voters (a lot of overlap there), plus the usual lineup of Borises and Sergeis from the troll farm.

Musk could give Farage a billion pounds, and it wouldn't make Farage less hated. It might give him a wider platform from which to broadcast his disingenuous nonsense (he pretends to be for the working man, but is himself a product of the upper class), but taken as a whole, the Brits aren't quite as gullible as our US cousins. Not quite, I should emphasise.

As our current Prime Minister is a lawyer, I imagine he is already looking into the legality of this.

Megalomaniac musk thinks his $277 million also bought Prime Ministership of the UK. He and his incoming vice president trump should stick to their own side of the pond.

What this article fails to ask is the simple question: WHY?

WHY are people embracing the right-wing and nationalism? WHY are people turning to figures like Nigel Farage? I'll tell you why: because the globalist Left has spent years mocking, silencing, and ignoring the working class while pushing censorship, OPEN BORDERS, and anti-family agendas. They've gutted industries, destroyed communities, and labeled anyone who questions their failed policies as "extremists" or (insert label here)-phobic.

Ol' Farage speaks to the people the Left abandoned - those who want secure borders, cultural pride, and economic policies that benefit workers, not global corporations or unelected bureaucrats. Musk, for all his glaring often ridiculous faults, exposes the hypocrisy of the elites who scream about "misinformation" while suppressing free speech to maintain their stranglehold on power.

I suppose another question to ask would be WHY anyone in the UK still supports the same woke elites who've spent decades driving their once-great nation into the ground.

Farage said they would have to find a way to ensure any donation from Musk was made "legally through UK companies"

This sounds very dodgy. It stinks.

Elites funding elites.

I’m sure our types who are told to rail against elites will be disgusted. Looking forward to their usual consistency.

Ol' Farage speaks to the people the Left abandoned

Yeah, six seats. I don’t think you’ve read half of the material ever written on this one.

Farage, as we all know, was chief amongst those who pushed the unmitigated disaster of Brexit. No-one takes him seriously.

"Meddling" = Trying to Restrict Elon's Freedom of Speech

 No-one takes him seriously

No one serous takes him seriously.

Pretty good shyster though. Good at ‘Isn’t it typical of ( insert name of media outlet )’ when put on the spot about his nonsense and lies.

Jeremy Clarkson picked up on this tactic. Says a lot.

What this article fails to ask is the simple question: WHY?

Let's just point out that you've been downvoted pretty much at the rate of once per minute since you posted that doggerel. Now let's get to the issue.

It's because most people, regardless of nationality, are incredibly stupid and easily swayed. Demagogues like Farage (see also: Trump, Orban, etc.) pick up on this and run with it.

As I said, while the UK has its fair share of morons (Brexit demonstrated that beyond all reasonable doubt), we're still better than some countries at seeing through a politician. Farage is flat out transparent in that regard.

And while our country may be a shadow of what it was - no argument from me - we at least manage to avoid having a mass shooting every other week, and we try not to let religious fanaticism hijack our political process.

"Meddling" = Trying to Restrict Elon's Freedom of Speech

Oh wait! The issue is party funding.

It’s, like, what the article is about.

Show me the $/Funding?! It's all MEDIA speculation and of course Elon will always remain in 'Compliance'!

It's all MEDIA speculation

Farage himself commented on it.

It’s, like, I’m the article.

*in

*Ol' Farage speaks to the people the Left abandoned - those who want secure borders,* cultural pride,

Just had to pick up on this.

Nigel Farage's wife is German.

Well, British Labour sent a hundred members to help Harris campaign team during the US election which was also interpreted as " possible meddling " by some. Perhaps Musk is just returning the courtesy in his own way.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2024/10/20/british-labour-party-sending-staff-to-campaign-for-harris-in-us-swing-states/

"Meddling" = Trying to Restrict Elon's Freedom of Speech

Musks Freedom of Speech has the same meaning as Chinese freedom of speech while living in China. You can say whatever you want but if you talk bad about the government (Musk) there are consequences so it's basically just his twisted attempt to trick the gullible.

I find it crazy how this dude wanted the highest level security clearance in America but even still we know Trump is whispering everything to Musk anyways because crooks of a feather flock together

Well, British Labour sent a hundred members to help Harris campaign team during the US election which was also interpreted as " possible meddling " by some. Perhaps Musk is just returning the courtesy in his own way.

No, Musk brought Twitter before Harris was running, it was at that moment he was scheming to be the puppet master behind Trump seeing as Musk can't be president of the states he decided to buy him

Well, British Labour sent a hundred members to help Harris campaign team during the US election which was also interpreted as " possible meddling " by some. 

As volunteers, yes.

To the best of my knowledge, they did not contribute to the Harris campaign. See the following link:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62m2pde4p6o

"Foreign nationals are permitted to volunteers in political campaigns in the US as long as they are not compensated, according to Federal Election Commission rules".

Anyone conflating these two things is clutching at straws.

Musk will have to come up with some creative ideas for poisoning the well of Britain's democracy with his money. That said, the governing class shut down Corbyn and his vision of a new social contract to shoe in Starmer and his FOI. However, since the hapless Starmer is patently not up to snuff, they are now quietly grooming Farage's Reform to step into the breach, if needed, to save their fortunes. This reserve swamp of rightwing grumps, the UK version of Germany's Afd neo-nazis, is a constituency in Brexitannia that with the right manure could spread like knotweed. WHY? As others have pointed out, it's a cocktail of anger, ignorance and fear as world capitalism stumbles from crisis to crisis, innit?

All foreign nationals should not be allowed to participate in a national election or party politics whether by donations or volunteers for a campaign.

Nigel Farage is widely despised in the UK...

Not according to the last election. The only reason for Labour's landslide was the incredible rise of Reform. In pretty much any constituency you look at, you'll see that Reform was either in 2nd or 3rd place, a remarkable achievement for a small party, despised by the chattering classes, and with little funding.

As I said, while the UK has its fair share of morons (Brexit demonstrated that beyond all reasonable doubt)...

Still calling Brexit voters morons? Keep it up, the more you look down on, despise, and insult the majority of the people, the more you are pretty much guaranteeing that Farage will be our next Prime Minister.

Still calling Brexit voters morons?

I like a bit of variety in my vocabulary, so I also use "losers", "cretins", "racists" and "Daily Mail readers" (which actually sums up the first three in one neat package).

Keep it up, the more you look down on, despise, and insult the majority of the people, the more you are pretty much guaranteeing that Farage will be our next Prime Minister.

The "majority of the people" are idiots. However, Farage is so blatantly transparent, even the thickest Essex Man can see it.

Labour's landslide was down to the conservatives having spent 14 years wrecking the country.

For the record: Labour fielded 631 candidates and won 410 seats.

Reform fielded 609 candidates and won 5.

"All foreign nationals should not be allowed to participate in a national election or party politics whether by donations or volunteers for a campaign."

I agree.

Not like they have attempted to do it via a backdoor or under-the-table like other quarters. This initiative was announced after a meeting at Mar-A-Lago, with a SM post and a photo featuring Musk, elected party leader Farage and the treasurer (in the background was an oil on canvas of Trump bathed in the glow of a setting sun wearing a white cricketing jumper. Musk himself was wearing a very expensive UK made leather jacket of a particular brand of which he is known fan).

Then Farage announces it further, in a newspaper, with the caveat that what will be done will be legal. Hard to be more transparent and with an existing party with elected members.

They'd better come to grips that Musk is now one of the top dogs in command.

Mandelson, quoted at the end of the article, is absolutely correct.

UK politics - and the established parties - really need a shakeup and Musk is the man who can make it happen.

Megalomaniac musk thinks his $277 million also bought Prime Ministership of the UK.

To be fair, musk did purchase the US president at a discount price. He still have more money to buy the UK equivalent.

And while our country may be a shadow of what it was - no argument from me -

Thanks for admitting you are wrong straight off the bat, dude. Now, let's get to your "everyone who disagrees with me is stupid" arguments. First, that Nigel is a "demagogue" assumes his supporters are mindless sheep... that label should be reserved voters of Davos puppet Kier Starmer). Farage, Trump etc are leaders who resonate because they address real actual concerns - sovereignty, economic fairness, and cultural preservation - that globalist elites at the Labor/Tory uniparty consistently ignore. Dismissing millions of people as "stupid" only proves your disdain for democracy when it doesn’t go your way.

As for Brexit, labeling it a "moronic" decision ignores the nuanced reasons 17.4 million people voted for it, including concerns about uncontrolled immigration, bureaucratic overreach, and a desire for UK self-determination. Reducing it to stupidity is not only arrogant but also factually incorrect.

Finally, the tired comparison to U.S. is a lazy distraction. The UK has its own unenviable issues - rampant knife crime, skyrocketing illegal immigration, and a government more focused on appeasing globalist interests than addressing the needs of its citizens. The fact that Farage remains a relevant figure shows that many Britons are tired of being talked down to by globalist elites who consider themselves superior to the people they claim to represent.

Writing in the Telegraph newspaper, Farage said "the issue of money was discussed" when he met the X owner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday.

For the record, the photo they posted in Mar-a-Lago (3:58pm) featured this painting of Trump in the background:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Visionary

(the painting hangs in the bar)

For the record: Labour fielded 631 candidates and won 410 seats.

Reform fielded 609 candidates and won 5.

Indeed. And, as you know, Labour got about 34% of the vote, Reform got about 14%. Six months on and Starmer's ratings are rock-bottom. Four or five years from now, if things continue like this, it will be Reform with the seats, not Labour. And, again, the more those on the left like yourself openly despise and insult all those that they disagree with, the more likely it is to happen.

Elon is basically garbage (yes he's more clever than I am but....):

[1] The EV industry would be about the same now with or without Musk (and BYD is already outselling)

[2] Musk did NOT found Tesla

[3] What is special about SpaceX? They are using legacy tech developed decades ago.

[4] Tesla Semis?

[5] Boring Company?

[6] Hyperloop?

[7] I can go on (Starlink type services already existed)

Here is a fun idea. What if Trump tried to do a number on Japan like he's doing on USA and UK? That would be some fun comedy!!

Indeed. And, as you know, Labour got about 34% of the vote, Reform got about 14%. Six months on and Starmer's ratings are rock-bottom. Four or five years from now, if things continue like this, it will be Reform with the seats, not Labour. And, again, the more those on the left like yourself openly despise and insult all those that they disagree with, the more likely it is to happen.

I will never not consider Reform / Brexit voters to be anything other than human detritus, but I will say this. If Reform can find a candidate who's less transparent than Farage, and who has the rhetorical skills, I can see Reform making political gains. It won't be of benefit to the country, but it's perfectly possible given the way that the world in general seems to be inclining to a "hurt me Daddy, just hurt those other people more" system of pseudo-fascist leadership.

Starmer's ratings are typical of new governments. They get a bounce when they are elected, and then because they can't fix (in this case) 14 years of Tory incompetence within a few days, the moronic public starts grumbling, not realising it was their votes that put the Tories in for those 14 years. It's short-sightedness and, again, stupidity.

Like Churchill said, the best argument against democracy is a conversation with the average voter, but right now it's the least worst option.

I will never not consider Reform / Brexit voters to be anything other than human detritus...

I'll just leave that there. Your words are more eloquent than you imagine.

Farage, as we all know, was chief amongst those who pushed the unmitigated disaster of Brexit. No-one takes him seriously.

So you didn't see how many people went out and voted for his party in the last election?

Even though there was a nationwide mass media anti Farage push?

Many in the UK do not support the mass immigration and changing cultural landscape.

I'll just leave that there. Your words are more eloquent than you imagine.

Oh yeah. A post on a website for bored expats in Japan is going to really change UK government policy.

Now Elon Musk trying to bankroll Farage? That could change UK government policy. For the worse, it goes without saying, but Musk, despise him or loathe him, might just have the kind of power to make that happen.

And if the UK government can't or won't stop him, then the country will deserve everything that happens subsequently. Having said that, we dealt with Oswald Mosley and his band of fascists; I'd like to think we'll do the same if Farage starts getting ideas above his station.

*Farage announces it further, in a newspaper, with the caveat that what will be done will be legal. Hard to be more transparent and *with an existing party with elected members.

But that's what they used to say in Germany and look how a country letting in a legal party with its elected members voted in by an unthinking public ended its fragile system of freedom. Small comfort indeed to say we've been forewarned by history.

Indeed. And, as you know, Labour got about 34% of the vote, Reform got about 14%. Six months on and Starmer's ratings are rock-bottom. Four or five years from now, if things continue like this, it will be Reform with the seats, not Labour

Can’t see it.

Reform got a boost when Farage saw an opportunity and jumped on the bandwagon. He has some appeal to a particular type of voter but not enough to fool enough of the electorate - he’s a shyster, heckler and self-promoter.

I’m not even sure he’ll even run again in Clacton or could hold on to that seat if he did. He spends little time there. He’s more interested in gaining favour with the likes of Musk and Trump.

Without Farage you have 30p Lee and Richard Tice. Pretty grim.

Musk styles himself an agent/manipulator/disrupter of civilizations like the Special Circumstances in the novels of Scottish Socialist Iain Banks.

He is deluded about his intellect but his dark money has been shown to upend shaky democracies, like in the US and maybe UK.

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/10/pro-trump-dark-money-network-tied-to-elon-musk-behind-fake-pro-harris-campaign-scheme/

Serious Musk envy here, don't worry he hates globalist lovers!

Musk can exercise his freedom of speech and as he has significant business interests in Great Britain, can like any other company legally both directly and indirectly try to influence public policy and policymakers = Democracy!

My friends in the UK tell me that the UK sometimes ends up copying the US after a period of time. In this instance, I reckon letting Musk buy his way into a position to try and influence the government would be a really, really dumb move.

Guess we will soon see just how true the saying is about "money talks".

Still calling Brexit voters morons? Keep it up, the more you look down on, despise, and insult the majority of the people,...........

The majority of the people did not vote for Brexit; just over half of those who bothered to vote voted for Brexit and they represented about one third of eligible voters.

Musk is so deluded he's the richest person in history with the smartest investors and technologists trying to invest and work for him...oh, and he's DJT's "First Pal'!

Musk can exercise his freedom of speech and as he has significant business interests in Great Britain, can like any other company legally both directly and indirectly try to influence public policy and policymakers = Democracy!

Of course and I would like to see some real comedy by Musk trying to do this in Japan. Tesla is in Japan. So is StarLink. Will Musk come to Japan next? Anyone remember Mr. Horie of LiveDoor? Japan has had a similar experience. Musk can do what he wants as long as the law is not broken. But what is special about him? The tech/space world would be about the same now even if Musk hadn't been born.

Musk will surely help Great Britian be Great Again, as Socialism never works out too well after all!

Labour got about 34% of the vote, Reform got about 14%

But perhaps more important is that the total voter turnout fell to 60% from 67% at the previous election. It seems there was a general drop in support for politicians.

Four or five years from now, if things continue like this, it will be Reform with the seats, not Labour.

Perhaps if the turnout drops to 20% or so.

 as Socialism never works out too well after all!

Neither does capitalism.... the troubles in UK, US, France, South Korea, Japan are basically a failure of capitalism... Capitalism may be a bit more stable and effective but still far from a perfect socio-economical system.

Believing that capitalism is the correct answer is wrong.

as Socialism...

Please define this

It is vital when debating UK voters’ electorate political beliefs, affiliations, especially in the areas associated with of electoral political realignment, the importance of refraining from unnecessary personal discriminatory attacks expressing views of individual politicians, one has a virulent ideological dislike of clouding the realities of voter behaviour inside the ballot box.

Personal insults at voter political choices, provoke proven voter animosity backlash at the ballot box.   

Musk's possible meddling in UK politics stirs concern is a preposterous red herring

Look, firstly there are clearly defined legislative "checks and balances" to political donations with a vigilant enforcement policy, all fully covered within the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 and published by the electoral commission  

“While there is no limit to what parties can raise, there are spending limits in place ahead of elections to ensure a level playing field.”

Political parties accept over £93m in donations in 2023

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/media-centre/political-parties-accept-over-ps93m-donations-2023

Now where edges become blurred, and I suggest why the current main UK political parties are engaging in a collective political nervous breakdown is the area detailed below

2024 general election: Performance of Reform and the Greens

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/2024-general-election-performance-of-reform-and-the-greens/

Reform UK – the new name of the Brexit Party – won five seats, had 609 candidates and received 14.3% of the vote in the 2024 general election.

Musk donation could indeed have consequences advantageous to/for Reform UK .,,,,,

Quote .. Candidates, parties and campaigners use different tactics in the run-up to an election to try and influence how you vote.

https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/campaigning-your-vote/campaigning-tactics

An essential point ignored by this AP article

Musk's form of capitalism definitely working out well, tons of innovation, job creation, new markets, solving world's problems = far different than blood sucking cockroaches of Wall Street, giving capitalism (and Democracy) such a bad name!

Musk's winning based on MERIT not Exploitation

Musk will surely help Great Britian be Great Again, as Socialism never works out too well after all!

UK had been governed by conservatives for 14 or so years- did it suddenly become a socialist country in the past 6 months?

Like it or not, Musk did more to address pollution and human health and maybe even the environment than just about anyone with Tesla and making EV's mainstream. It's thus no surprise politicians want to curry his favor vs. the dirty corrupt globalist bankers!

And Elon even wants to potentially save civilization from extinction by making humans multi-planetary.

Would you expect the Pol's to associate with Musk or dirty globalist bankers financing Ukraine war defense spending?

It takes very "deep financial pockets" to extrapolate data of/to voter intentions across UK constituencies, in effect to formulate a comprehensive tactical campaign strategy.

Especially across social media platform.

Those Tusk millions have the potential to change hearts and minds, to provide a complete local party funding strategy

Political parties have to be established over decades to leverage voter trust and confidence.

Reform UK Nigel Farage oratory skills are impressive, however there is no escape Reform UK is a fledgling party.

Where there is room to question, is the appalling betrayal of both the Conservative Labour main parties to ordinary "working people"

@ HopeSpringsEternal

But, Musk fortune is made because fo Wall Street.

As for innovation, he did not everything he sells was created by others. New markets? which ones?.

Solving problems?, again, which ones?, environmental the electric cars are a part but not all and even the EVs have much to solve in their production to be at least 80% eco friendly, the Space, those rockest have cause more damange in protected areas than anything else... not solving problme but created new one there for sure.

Satellite internet? an idea that already existed but not implemented becuase of cost, mainly maintenence costs and also launching costs.

Explotation, well Musk is famous for how he manages his companies workers... in fact it is a fairly publicly available information.

And "merit"... so you are promoting Meritocracy?

Twitter is not solving nor creating anything... So what you said nothing is true or your understanding of things is askew

HopeSpringsEternalToday 05:42 pm JST

And Elon even wants to potentially save civilization from extinction by making humans multi-planetary.

Would you expect the Pol's to associate with Musk or dirty globalist bankers financing Ukraine war defense spending?

I would expect the internet to associate with Musk because they don't know any better.

HopeSpringsEternalToday 05:30 pm JST

Musk's winning based on MERIT not Exploitation

Now looking for new employees: must work 80 hours.

Wall Street creates ZERO wealth, just ask Elon or any politician. SpaceX has raised ZERO money on Wall Street. Politicians and Voters like winners like Elon, who create jobs, not cockroach parasites on Wall Street.

Keir Starmer "labour" government has been in office barely five or so months

Keir Starmer "labour" government is not remotely responsible for 14 years of alleged "Tory misrule"

Especially though a devastating pandemic, the horror outcomes, and the conservative government criminal incompetence that cost countless lives

Keir Starmer government however will be harshly judged answerable for the countless pledges and promises, their published manifesto made prior to the 2024 election,

You can count on that.

Now looking for new employees: must work 80 hours.

And pay for the privilege!

Most top technologist wants to work for Musk and based on merit, strike it $rich = stock options. Politicians feel the exact same way...Musk can HELP them win too!

I will never not consider Reform / Brexit voters to be anything other than human detritus...

I'll just leave that there. Your words are more eloquent than you imagine.

Oh yeah. A post on a website for bored expats in Japan is going to really change UK government policy.

I think you missed the point of my post. I was talking about what your insults and disdain for others say about you and your politics. When you say that that you think over half the electorate are idiots, when you call people who vote differently to you "human detritus", your words express much more about your own character, and the culture of the political position you are representing, than they do about the people you are directing them towards.

Can't blame Pol's for catching the Musk "Rocket Ship"!