Gleeful Nigel Farage presents to assist Keir Starmer ‘mend’ relationship with Donald Trump

Gleeful Nigel Farage has offered to “help” Keir Starmer behind-the-scenes “mend” the UK’s relationship with his chum Donald Trump.

The Reform UK leader suggested he could be on hand unofficially to “smooth over difficulties” with the divisive Republican leader.

But the Clacton MP ruled himself out of any official or “ambassadorial role” – despite no offer being made to him. His comments came as Mr Starmer was quick to congratulate Mr Trump on his “historic election victory” as he was declared president-elect.

The PM said: “Congratulations President-elect Trump on your historic election victory. I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.

“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”

Speaking to Talk TV from Florida, Mr Farage said: “I decided in June to stand in Clacton at the general election to try and become their MP. That happened and that is my primary duty. I’m not going to give up being the MP for Clacton to take on any ambassadorial role at all. But behind the scenes I could, if wanted, be very helpful.”

Asked if he would take an unofficial role, he added: “Unofficially yes. I couldn’t take an official role as the leader of Reform.”

Be he offered to help behind the scenes to “smooth over difficulties” including a recent row over Labour activists campaigning for Kamala Harris and past comments on Mr Trump by the Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

He added: “There are some obstacles here. He [Trump] is likely to make us sweat a bit. So in diplomatic terms what our government has done with him and America is ludicrous, stupid, school-boyish. But these things can be mended and if I could be helpful behind the scenes, I will.”

Last month Mr Starmer met with Mr Trump for a two-hour dinner in New York – their first face-to-face meeting. Foreign Secretary David Lammy also attended and has been seeking to build bridges with the Republican leader’s team.

As a backbencher in 2018 Mr Lammy described the ex-President as “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” who was a “profound threat to the international order”. In 2017 he also suggested he would “protesting on the streets” if Mr Trump came to the UK.