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  World   Europe  23 Nov 2016  Donald Trump does it again, moots Nigel Farage as UK envoy, but May says ‘no vacancy’

Donald Trump does it again, moots Nigel Farage as UK envoy, but May says ‘no vacancy’

REUTERS
Published : Nov 23, 2016, 1:49 am IST
Updated : Nov 23, 2016, 5:36 am IST

Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage re resent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States, says Trump.

Donald Trump, right, welcomes pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage. (Photo: File/AP)
 Donald Trump, right, welcomes pro-Brexit British politician Nigel Farage. (Photo: File/AP)

London: Britain on Tuesday dismissed US President-elect Donald Trump’s unprecedented expression of support for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage to be made British ambassador to Washington, saying pointedly that there is no vacancy for the job.

Mr Trump, who after his election victory met Farage before any EU leaders, said on Twitter that “many people” would like to see the former metals-trader-turned-politician as Britain’s ambassador.

“Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage re resent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!” Trump said.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May was swift to reject such an undiplomatic proposal, with a spokesman saying Britain already had an excellent ambassador to Washington and that London would appoint its own envoys.

“We have first rate ambassador in Washington,” Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, who campaigned for Brexit, told the British parliament.  “There is no vacancy for that position.”

Mr Farage, meanwhile, said Trump’s suggestion that he serve as ambassador had come “like a bolt from the blue” but Trump understood loyalty in a way that those in the “cesspit” of career politics did not.

“I am in a good position with the President-elect’s support to help. The world has changed and it’s time that Downing Street did too,” Farage said in an article written for the Breitbart news website. Mr Farage said Trump would be a great president after “thepolitical revolution” that brought Brexit in Britain and Mr Trump to power in the US.   

Tags: donald trump, nigel farage, british