Kemi Badenoch has cast doubt on a possible multi-million pound donation to Reform UK by the world's richest man Elon Musk.

The new Tory leader said that while Reform chief had raised the prospect of a huge donation, "Mr Farage says a whole load of things". In a swipe at the former leader, she added: "I don't say things unless they are true".

Last week Mr Farage and Reform's treasurer met the Tesla founder at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, fuelling speculation about a substantial donation.

After the meeting, he said they "did discuss money" and there will be "ongoing negotiations". "He wants to help us, he's not opposed to the idea of giving us money, provided we can do it legally through UK companies," he added.

Pressed on the whether she was "relaxed" over a possible donation by the X owner, Ms Badenoch replied: "I believe in competition. I think if Elon Musk is giving a competitor party money then that is a challenge for me to make sure I raise the same".

She sadded: "I don't think he's actually giving them [Reform UK] anything. I think he said he wasn't. All we've seen is Nigel Farage saying 'he's going to give me money'. Mr Farage says a whole load of things. I don't say things unless they are true."

Her comments came as Reform's treasurer Nick Candy, who also met with Mr Musk last week, claimed a "number of billionaires" are ready to donate to the party. "We have a number of billionaires prepared to donate to the party, not just Elon," the former Tory donor told the Financial Times.

The property developer said that he would "raise more money than any other political party" and claimed Reform would have more members than the Tories within three months.

Speaking to the BBC, Ms Badenoch added , the former Tory minister who defected to Reform, does not "like me" but "I don't really care". Asked about defections to Reform from the Conservatives, she said: "With some of those people, Andrea Jenkyns, for example, it's very personal - don't like me."

Ms Badenoch, who won the Tory crown last month, also said she believed her time leading the party so far has gone "as well as it possibly could". She added: "I was expecting it to be much worse.

"And one of the things that I'm really pleased about is that the party has sort of downed tools on the internecine warfare, and the actual being in Parliament and seeing a real government reminds everyone who the real opponent is."

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