REFORM UK LEADER Nigel Farage has accused Elon Musk of helping Labour by backing a rival right-wing party in a closely watched UK byelection battle.

Farage said in a recent interview that the billionaire Tesla and X owner was attempting to “split the right” after Musk publicly backed former Reform MP Rupert Lowe’s new party, Restore Britain, ahead of the Makerfield byelection in north-west England.

The election, which is due to be held on 18 June, was triggered by the resignation of the Labour MP Josh Simons.

Simons announced earlier this month that he would be standing down to make way for fellow Labour member and mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

The contest had already attracted major attention, as Burnham is widely seen as a potential future challenger to British prime minister Keir Starmer. Burnham is hoping a return to Westminster would strengthen his position within the party.

A poll published last week suggested the race is tightening between Labour and Reform UK.

The Survation poll put Labour on 43%, Reform UK on 40%, and Restore Britain on 7%, raising concerns within Reform that Restore Britain could siphon off enough support from right-wing voters to cost them the seat.

The poll had a sample size of just 504 respondents, of whom 369 said they were likely to vote, but is the first survey of the constituency since the byelection was called. The pollster said it should be treated as an “indicative early look”.

🚨 NEW: The first Makerfield by-election poll shows Andy Burnham will win the seat

🔴 LAB - 43%
➡️ REF - 40%
🇬🇧 RES - 7%
🟠 LD - 4%
🟢 GRN - 3%
🔵 CON - 2%
⚪ Other - 1%

Via Survation, 369 sample, May 18-22

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) May 23, 2026

Speaking to The Telegraph, Farage criticised Musk’s intervention.

“Elon Musk has decided he will try to split the right of British politics as best he can,” Farage said.

In the interview, Farage also took aim at Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe, who is the party’s only MP. Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP in the 2024 general election, but he was expelled from the party in March 2025.

“This is supporting a party that’s one man with a social media account. Quite what he’s trying to achieve, I have no idea,” Farage said.

Musk, who previously backed Farage and Reform UK, has in recent days repeatedly posted “Restore Britain” on X while sharing posts from Lowe and the party’s candidate Rebecca Shepherd.

Restore Britain https://t.co/y6b0RnO7p7

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 24, 2026

The public backing marks a further deterioration in relations between Musk and Farage, who fell out earlier this year after Farage distanced himself from far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Lowe, a former Reform MP who now leads Restore Britain, hit back at Farage in a lengthy post on X, accusing him of misunderstanding the movement behind the party.

“Farage can arrogantly insult me over and over, but he has never been more wrong,” Lowe wrote.

“This party isn’t about me, it never has been. It is about our members, our people, our home. Not me. Them.”

He added: “That is something he will never understand, and ultimately it’s why he will lose.”