Elon Musk 'considers backing' rival to Reform led by Rupert Lowe as Nigel Farage feud deepens

Having later thrown his weight behind Lowe, Musk now reportedly senses an opportunity following the Great Yarmouth MP's suspension over allegations of bullying and making threats of physical violence on March 7.

Musk is said to have indicated that he would support a credible party to the right of Reform, the Financial Times has claimed.

Musk, who holds a key role in Donald Trump's second White House administration, is already supporting a number of European populists, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Alternative fur Deutschland in Germany.

Ahead of his suspension, Lowe appeared to express his glee at his rising popularity during his bombshell Daily Mail interview last week.

The 67-year-old, who refused to give his full backing to Farage, said: "I'm barely six months into being an MP and I'm in the betting to be the next Prime Minister."

Ben Habib, who was sacked as Reform UK's deputy leader last July, yesterday hinted at creating an outfit to rival Farage's crusade after claiming Lowe was targeted following Musk's intervention.

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The ex-Brexit Party MEP revealed he is a "good friend" of Lowe's and is "constantly in touch with him".

Asked if he would consider returning to frontline politics in an outfit alongside Lowe, Habib told The Telegraph: “Ultimately the reason I joined Reform and the reason I stood for Reform in Wellingborough is because the only way you can make a difference is electorally.”

He added: “You’ve got to be at the ballot box and hold the electoral system to account … so the answer is yes, I think.”

Lowe, who denies the allegations against him, was also offered a slight olive branch by top Tories Chris Philp and Andrew Griffith to defect to the Conservative Party.

Despite Farage overseeing Reform's successful 2024 General Election campaign, Habib told GB News yesterday that the Brexit stalwart was not a key factor in the populist party returning five MPs.

The ex-Reform UK deputy leader later argued that the populist party's support stood at 16 per cent ahead of Farage's return as leader, rejecting the suggestion that the Clacton MP propelled five MPs into the House of Commons.

Savanta gave Reform UK just nine per cent support ahead of Farage's return, with the 60-year-old overseeing a eight-point boost with the same pollster in the final days of the election campaign.

Habib's own performances in Wellingborough & Rushden perhaps best-highlighted the rise of Reform under Farage's leadership.

The ex-Brexit Party MEP received just 3,919 votes in last year's by-election, later obtaining the backing of 9,456 voters in the Northamptonshire seat just 140 days later.

Farage has continued to garner more support from the British public since the 2024 General Election, with Reform peaking at 28 per cent in the opinion polls.

Speaking to GB News over the weekend, Reform UK's deputy leader Richard Tice claimed that the populist party only managed to win five seats because Farage was spearheading the operation.

He said: "I was thrilled and invited Nigel to get stuck in, get serious. I'd taken it [Reform] to naught or one per cent to in the low teens. I knew that Nigel could drive us forwards and without Nigel none of us would have been elected."