Reform UK's new treasurer Nick Candy reveals he spoke to Elon ...

Reform UK's new treasurer has revealed he spoke to Elon Musk this morning following suggestions the tech tycoon could make a multi-million-pound donation to Nigel Farage's party.

Nick Candy, the billionaire husband of singer Holly Valance and former Tory party member, told Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby that the pair exchanged messages after his appointment was announced.

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"I was messaging him this morning," Mr Candy said.

"I cannot further discuss that. We were speaking directly."

Property tycoon Mr Candy said he renounced his Conservative membership because of "too many broken promises" and a "breach of trust with the wealth creators in our country".

He said he would take up the fundraising role for Reform UK in the new year.

Asked if he has held discussions with Mr Musk about donations, he told Sky News they have had "no conversations yet" on the matter but added: "If Elon wants to give it… then of course Reform would be very interested in that."

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Mr Musk has expressed support for Reform UK on his X social media platform, suggesting the party could win the next general election.

However, party leader Mr Farage, who was interviewed alongside Mr Candy, has rubbished reports the world's richest man could donate £80m.

He called it a "story without any basis in fact".

He said: "Elon Musk is very supportive of what Reform is trying to do, supportive of me personally. And we've got the connections with him, and Nick's got good connections with him as well.

"He's giving us political support. We have, at this stage, neither solicited or been offered donations."

Reform has been buoyed by a series of recent Tory defections, including former minister Andrea Jenkyns, and described Mr Candy's appointment as its "latest coup" as it prepares for the local elections in May.

Mr Farage told Beth Rigby that racist and homophobic comments made by some of his candidates standing at the July general election "hugely" hurt the campaign and it "wasn't really in a fit state" to fight at the polls.

He insisted that's now "all changed", and the party is vetting candidates for the English county council elections, "to a standard no other party for local elections ever has done".

'He's a fine young man'

Mr Farage was then asked about the case of James McMurdock, one of Reform's five new MPs who was jailed 18 years ago for repeatedly kicking his girlfriend, according to court records seen by The Times.

He spent 21 days in a young offenders' institution after admitting to the attack, but the investment banker did not disclose his record ahead of the election and after it came to light, downplayed it as a "teenage indiscretion".

Asked how he would deal with cases like this if they emerge in the future, Mr Farage said he believes in "Christian forgiveness".

The Reform leader argued that if half of the people currently in a young offenders' institution turned out as well as Mr McMurdock today "we'd be a better country".

It was put to Mr Farage that there is a discrepancy between what court documents say - that Mr McMurdock kicked his girlfriend four times - and what he said in a statement, which is that he pushed her.

Mr Farage said: "I tell you what. We're busy right?

"We're building a new political party. You want to talk about a spent conviction from 20 years ago. What's happened has happened.

"Whether there is a discrepancy or not, I don't know. What I know is he's a fine young man, he's turned out really very, very well. He's a serving member of Parliament."

Mr McMurdock has said he still feels "deeply ashamed and apologetic" over the assault and that he "faced the consequences then and paid for my action in full".

He said the "shame" of that night "led me to turn my life around" and he now has a wife and four children, and is expecting a fifth in February.