A newly-unearthed video shows how Richard Tice has changed his tune over foreigners getting involved in British politics.
The Reform UK deputy leader has welcomed speculation that Elon Musk could donate up to $100 million to his party.
He said: “If Mr Musk can legally donate and he feels that’s the appropriate thing to do then obviously we would be delighted.
“It would be a fantastic endorsement of our policies to save Britain and get Britain growing again.”
But Tice’s views on non-UK citizens getting involved in British politics were very different in 2018.
Back then, Tice was co-chair of the Leave Means Leave group campaigning for the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum to be implemented.
At that time, Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros was helping to fund the anti-Brexit Best For Britain campaign.
In the six-year-old clip, Tice said: “He doesn’t live here, he doesn’t pay taxes here. What right has he got to interfere with our democracy and try and overthrow the government? He has no right at all.”
2018: Richard Tice, "George Soros doesn't live here, he doesn't pay taxes here, what right has he got to interfere with our democracy with donations?"
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) December 19, 2024
2024: Richard Tice, "If Elon Musk can legally donate and he feels that's the appropriate thing to do, we'd be delighted" pic.twitter.com/zIAZ0FT3K7
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and the party’s new treasurer, Nick Candy, met Musk in Florida earlier this week, where the possibility of the X owner giving them money was discussed.
Tim Montgomerie, a former Conservative commentator who defected to Reform, said he believes Musk could donate as much as $20 million to the party.
He told Newsnight: “I think it probably will happen, and why I think it probably will happen is Elon Musk has clearly got the bug of politics. He’s enjoyed and is committed to what he has done in America, and he made a difference.
“So I think he has an ideological affinity with Reform, which is part of what motivates him.”
