Farage: I will act as bridge between Downing Street and Donald Trump

Nigel Farage has hinted that ministers are sounding him out about dealing with Donald Trump, as he revealed the US president-elect's close advisers have 'reservations' about Theresa May's government.
Handout photo of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday November 12, 2016. See PA story POLITICS Presdient. Photo credit should read: Nigel Farage/ PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.Handout photo of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday November 12, 2016. See PA story POLITICS Presdient. Photo credit should read: Nigel Farage/ PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Handout photo of Donald Trump and Nigel Farage PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Saturday November 12, 2016. See PA story POLITICS Presdient. Photo credit should read: Nigel Farage/ PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS:This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

The interim Ukip leader, who became the first British politician to meet Mr Trump since his shock victory, insisted he would act as a bridge between Downing Street and Trump Tower if called upon to do so.

Asked if he had contact with Cabinet figures regarding his close ties to the incoming Republican president, Mr Farage told Sky News: “I am not going to go into whatever private phone calls I may, or may not, have had with individual ministers.”

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In a pointed swipe at No 10 officials who have dismissed his links to Mr Trump, the Ukip leader said: “It would appear that the apparatchiks in Downing Street keep saying very negative things about me. I’d have thought that’s just a little bit short sighted, frankly.

“I would have thought, in the national interest, they perhaps ought to bury their personal enmity towards me and we ought to have a constructive conversation.”

Mr Farage disclosed that members of the president-elect’s inner circle were concerned about unflattering comments made by British Cabinet ministers, though Mr Trump told him he had a “nice” phone call with Mrs May.

“He said he had a nice conversation, although some of his team had reservations about what members of the Cabinet have said during the election. Believe you me, his team are conscious of the comments,” Mr Farage told the Daily Telegraph.

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The pair met at Trump Tower in New York and spent over an hour discussing the president-elect’s victory, global politics and the status of Brexit, according to Ukip.

Mr Farage used US media appearances to warn Mrs May that she needed to “mend fences” with Mr Trump after the “quite rude” things said about him by leading Tories.

Asked on Fox News why the president-elect should meet the PM after the things senior Tories had said about him, Mr Farage said: “I think he has got to meet her. Mrs May’s team have been quite rude about Trump, so there are some fences to be mended.”