Nigel Farage claims he ‘could be very useful’ to the UK government
Masks of politicians including Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Donald Trump. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA. - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Nigel Farage has claimed that he 'could be very useful' to US-UK relations after being asked about the role of US ambassador.
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage called for Sir Kim Darroch to step down after leaked memos revealed that he believed the Trump administration was "inept."
He said "people like Sir Kim Darroch should simply not be around" when the UK leaves the EU.
Farage was asked if he wanted the job instead.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Well, I'm not a diplomat, and I think that's quite an understatement."
You may also want to watch:
Pressed on whether he would take the post of ambassador to the US, Farage said: "No. I don't think I'm the right man for that job.
"But, am I the right man to try and help forge a better, closer relationship in terms of intelligence, security and trade with an administration that contains friends of mine?
Most Read
- 1 The greatest failure of government in our lifetime
- 2 The bigot we should have called out on day one
- 3 The polling that signals the plight of the Union
- 4 Boris Johnson claims Labour supporters using Universal Credit vote to incite hatred
- 5 Matt Hancock praises free school meals before being reminded he voted against them
- 6 Brexiteer MP ridiculed after calling for free movement of goods between GB and NI
- 7 Brexiteer says he'd never have voted for Brexit 'if we knew we'd lose our jobs'
- 8 James O'Brien schools Brexiteer who refuses to accept new EU-UK trade rules
- 9 Nigel Farage launches new party in Scotland to promote 'positive case for the Union'
- 10 Brexit changes lead to exodus of Brits from Spain, UK nationals claim
"Yes, I could be very useful."
He added: "For Sir Kim Darroch to openly speculate that Trump could be involved with dodgy Russians, and this could make the administration crash and burn... pretty irresponsible.
"No basis of truth in it whatsoever."
While showing support for the ambassador and the need for "unvarnished assessments" of foreign political situations, Number 10 distanced itself from Sir Kim's withering assessment of the Trump White House.
Theresa May's official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: "The PM has full faith in her ambassador to Washington.
"Our ambassadors provide honest, unvarnished assessments of politics in their country - those views are not necessarily the views of ministers or indeed of the government.
"As the foreign secretary has said, this leak is not acceptable.
"We would expect such advice to be handled in the correct way and a leak inquiry has been launched."
Asked if May agreed with the contents of Sir Kim's leaked assessment of the Trump administration, the spokesman said: "The PM does not agree with that assessment.
"The prime minister has a good relationship with the president and the government works closely and constructively with the administration across a wide range of issues."
The spokesman said there was "nothing to suggest" hostile state actors had been involved in the leak.
Become a Supporter
The New European is proud of its journalism and we hope you are proud of it too. We believe our voice is important - both in representing the pro-EU perspective and also to help rebalance the right wing extremes of much of the UK national press. If you value what we are doing, you can help us by making a contribution to the cost of our journalism.
