Elon Musk, Nigel Farage and Tommy Robinson: Everything you need to know about the grooming gangs spat

Look, we don’t blame you if the ongoing arguments between Twitter/X owner Elon Musk and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage over far-right criminal Tommy Robinson and grooming gangs is hard to keep up with.

Musk is firing off tweet after tweet about the issue, while Farage has made a number of media appearances heaping praise on the US tech billionaire’s interventions – despite the Tesla boss thinking King Charles can unilaterally dissolve parliament and that Keir Starmer would want to call another general election so soon after winning the last one.

So where exactly did this all begin? Allow us to provide a brief timeline to get you up to speed.

1 January 2025: GB News reports Jess Phillips has rejected calls for a government inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Oldham

The controversial right-wing news channel reported at the start of the year that it had seen a letter from the Labour safeguarding minister in which she said she understands “the strength of feeling” around a further inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the Greater Manchester town, but that it is “for Oldham Council alone to decide to commission an inquiry” locally rather than have the government intervene.

1 January 2025: Musk demands the release of Tommy Robinson

Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is currently in prison serving time for contempt of court after breaching a court order not to defame a Syrian refugee.

Yet on 1 January, Musk asked: “Why is Tommy Robinson in a solitary confinement prison for telling the truth? He should be freed and those who covered up this travesty should take his place in that cell.”

He would go on to call for Robinson’s release multiple times over the next few days.

1 January 2025: Musk calls on people to “vote Reform” as “the only hope”

Quote tweeting a tweet from another account relating to grooming gangs, Musk once again voiced his support for Farage’s Reform UK.

He had met with Farage and party treasurer Nick Candy at Mar-a-Lago last month.

2 January 2025: Musk begins his latest online attack against Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government

We won’t share every single tweet here as there’s too many, and a number of them are far too inflammatory, but Musk soon started criticising the prime minister and Phillips in several tweets this week.

On 2 January, he wrote: “In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require the Crown Prosecution Service's approval for the police to charge suspects.

“Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008 -2013.

“Who is the boss of Jess Phillips right now? Keir Stamer.

“The real reason she's refusing to investigate the rape gangs is that it would obviously lead to the blaming of Keir Stamer (head of the CPS at the time).”

Subsequent tweets saw him return to criticising Starmer for the imprisonment of individuals for social media posts (those were actually related to the far-right riots last year, Elon) and accuse Phillips of “shameful conduct” – and much worse – over the aforementioned letter.

4 January 2025: Farage distances himself from Tommy Robinson

When asked about Musk’s comments online by GB News, Farage hailed the billionaire and potential Reform UK donor as a “hero figure, especially for the youth”, but that Robinson is “not what we need” within his political party.

He said: “[Musk] is attacking the leadership of Britain. He’s very supportive of me. He’s very supportive of the party.

“He sees Robinson as one of these people that fought against the grooming gangs. But of course the truth is Tommy Robinson’s in prison not for that, but for contempt of court.”

5 January 2025: Farage defends Musk’s comments

Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg for her flagship BBC programme, in an interview which saw him asked about Musk’s criticism of Phillips and Starmer, Farage said “tough things get said… by both sides of the debate” and cited his belief in free speech.

5 January 2025: Musk says Reform ‘needs a new leader’

In a twist which surprised many given his prior support for Farage’s Reform UK, Musk tweeted that the party “needs a new leader” and that Farage “doesn’t have what it takes”.

5 January 2025: Farage claps back by standing his ground

Farage soon responded to Musk’s criticism to voice his disagreement, adding that his view “remains that Tommy Robinson is not right for Reform and I never sell out my principles”.

5 January 2025: Musk voices support for Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe

Not long after taking a swipe at Farage, Musk responded to one Twitter/X user asking for his thoughts on whether Rupert Lowe – the Reform UK MP for Great Yarmouth – should take over from Nigel Farage as party leader to say he hasn’t met the politician, but “his statements online that I have read so far make a lot of sense”.

That’s where things stand at this point, but keep an eye on this article as we’ll continue to update it with further developments.

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