Farage to meet Trump camp again as he plans ‘permanent move’ to US
UKIP’s Nigel Farage is reportedly planning to travel to the US next month to meet with Donald Trump’s transition team, having already been the first British politician to meet the president-elect after his shock victory.
The visit to Washington DC will be seen as a fresh bid to undermine Prime Minister Theresa May, who is still yet to meet the president-elect. Farage has repeatedly offered himself up as an intermediary between May and Trump, to which Downing Street has declined.
In December, Farage will again meet the team who are preparing for Trump’s move to the White House in January, according to the Independent. It is not known what they plan to discuss.
Trump and Farage have grown especially close in recent months. Farage was the first foreign politician to visit the president-elect. On Monday, Trump caused a political storm when he tweeted Farage would do a “great job” if he were the UK’s ambassador to the US.
The move by Farage to further ingratiate himself with the Trump camp may cause alarm for Downing Street, which has said there would be “no third party” in Britain's relationship with the United States.
May has spoken to Trump on the phone, saying she was looking forward to meeting “soon,” but no date has been announced.
“If you travel to the US you should let me know,” was how Trump extended his invite, according to a transcript obtained by the Times.
I have known several of the Trump team for years and I am in a good position with the President-elect’s support to help.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) November 22, 2016
The interim UKIP leader is due to travel with the same group that met Trump in New York, including millionaire UKIP donor Arron Banks.
On Wednesday night, Banks hosted a celebration for Farage, who is standing down as UKIP leader on Monday. There he handed out a tray of Ferrero Rocher chocolates in reference to the famous “Mr Ambassador!” television advert.
Speaking at the event at the Ritz, Farage said: “We’ve got a problem. In America the revolution is total. Not only have the people spoken and won, but the old administration, Obama and all those ghastly people, are out and the Trump people are in.
“In this country, the people have spoken, but the same players have just been shuffled around the chessboard and we are still being run by the career professional political class.”
Farage said there would be a “seismic shock” at the next general election in Britain, adding: “I suspect that the Conservative Party is not fit for the legacy of Brexit.”
He said there was still “unfinished business” after the EU referendum and forecast a “genuine realignment.”
“The people have spoken but the establishment don’t want to listen, so there are great battles to be fought and I’m going to go on fighting those battles.”
To cheers, he said: “For those of you who aren’t particularly happy with what happened in 2016, I’ve got some really bad news for you - it’s going to get a bloody sight worse next year.”
Meanwhile, the Times reports that Farage has told friends he is getting ready to emigrate to the US with his wife Kirsten.
The newspaper said Farage is reportedly concerned about life in Britain. He has not appeared in public with his family for more than 18 months after anti-UKIP protesters chased his wife and daughters out of a pub in Kent, and that he would feel “freer” from public attention living abroad.
