Members of Donald Trump's White House team are helping Nigel Farage's bid to become prime minister in revenge for Labor's campaign for his opponent Kamala Harris.
Trump's top advisers are also debating whether Sir Keir Starmer should be put 'at the back of the queue' of world leaders invited to Washington after tomorrow's inauguration, with one Trump ally saying the Prime Minister is 'a simple pie will have to eat' if he wants to. an early visit to the White House.
The new government could further humiliate Sir Keir by rejecting the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the US, it was reported last night.
The ally added that Trump was eyeing a trip to Britain but was considering bypassing the British government by directly asking the royal family for another state visit.
A key source at Farage's Reform UK, which is neck and neck with Labor in the polls, said: 'We have a deep relationship with the Trump team and talk daily.
Labor sending its operatives to campaign for Harris in the presidential election will not be forgotten.”
Mr Trump's aides are said to have met members of Reform UK at London's elite private members club Hertford Street 5 early last week for talks on boosting the party's election chances.
Trump's top advisers are also debating whether to put Sir Keir Starmer, pictured, 'at the back of the line' of world leaders invited to Washington after tomorrow's inauguration.
A senior source at Mr Farage's right-wing Reform UK, which is neck and neck with Labor in the polls, said: 'We have a deep relationship with the Trump team and talk daily'
The timing of any official US visit by Sir Keir will be compared with that of Theresa May, who arrived at the White House just seven days after Trump's first inauguration as prime minister.
Government sources last night insisted that 'constructive' discussions were underway with the new government as Sir Keir was able to visit Washington.
Trump's campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Labor in October, accusing Labor of “blatant foreign interference” after the party's head of operations, Sofia Patel, asked people to travel to the US to campaign for Harris.
A Trump ally told The Mail on Sunday: “It was election interference, plain and simple. Who do these people think they are?
“Trump believes that what's going on here is none of their business and that they should have stayed out of it.
'How could their involvement ever achieve anything? That didn't happen. But it leaves a bad taste in the mouth as far as President Trump and his team are concerned.
'What a damn cheek these people have. And it didn't help anything because Kamala was useless and clearly they were too.”
Meanwhile, a member of the Trump team told The Independent that it was still not certain that the new president would accept Lord Mandelson as ambassador.
The new government could further humiliate Sir Keir by rejecting Lord Mandelson's appointment as Britain's ambassador to the US.
Concerns about the Labor major's perceived links with China are said to be partly to blame.
Trump's swearing-in tomorrow, which has been moved indoors due to frigid weather, will be attended by Farage, along with former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.
Despite the tensions, Sir Keir told the Financial Times he was building a “constructive” relationship with Mr Trump, which he hoped would exempt the UK from threatened trade tariffs and the vitriolic attacks on him by Elon Musk, the richest man in the world would drown out. and member of Trump's team.
The Trump ally told this newspaper there had been “some talk” that Sir Keir wanted a meeting in Washington as early as next month, but said: “That is not Donald's priority.
'I'll tell you who he was talking about: Prince William. He enjoyed their meeting in France [at the re-opening of Notre Dame] and Donald would like another state visit to Britain. He's talking about going through Palace channels.
'These things are of course not traditionally structured, but Donald does not think traditionally.
“Keir needs to put on his big boy pants and realize that hanging out with Donald isn't the same as hanging out with anyone else.
Concerns about the Labor major's perceived links with China are said to be partly to blame. Photo: Chinese Vice Prime Minister He Lifeng and Chancellor Rachel Reeves
The Trump ally told this newspaper: “Donald expects you to kiss the ring. This time the president knows what he is doing and who his friends are'
“Donald expects you to kiss the ring. This time the president knows what he is doing and who his friends are.
'The first time there were clingy people, insincere people who tried to get along in a nefarious way.
People like Nigel Farage have proven their loyalty. Liz Truss has been here several times and the president rates her highly.
Of course he loves Boris. He makes him laugh. Boris is an alpha male just like Donald.'
The Trump ally cheekily said of Sir Keir: 'No one here knows who he is and honestly no one cares. Keir who? Ask most Americans on the street and they have no idea who he is.
“President Trump has excellent British contacts and he knows he can move through non-diplomatic and non-traditional routes and that suits him just fine.
'He doesn't need or care about Starmer. The man is irrelevant. Of course he will come at some point, but the optics are more important for your guy than for Trump.”
A Downing Street insider insisted: 'I don't think Sir Keir or No 10 will be too concerned when he comes out.
A Downing Street insider insisted: 'I don't think Sir Keir, pictured, or No 10 is overly concerned about when he will come out.
“But he does want to go and I think there is a hunger for that to happen. She [Sir Keir and Mr Trump] have had dinner together, and the Prime Minister speaks to him quite a bit'.
The insider hinted that the administration was willing to give Trump the state visit he wanted, potentially making him the first elected politician in modern history to get two such trips organized by the royal family. The late queen entertained Trump during a three-day visit in 2019.
Despite Sir Keir's comments to the FT, the Trump ally said: 'A trade deal with Britain is not at the top of Trump's agenda. You [in the UK] need it more than we do.
'All this said, Trump has a 'sentimental love' for Britain – mainly for family reasons [his mother was Scottish]. He returns the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office on day one. But he's pragmatic and this time it's all business. What can you do for us? It is up to Britain to make an attractive trade offer.
'Yes, there will always be a special relationship, but that is increasingly in the rearview mirror.'
Meanwhile, Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has accused the British government of trying to expedite its deal to surrender the Chagos Islands, then backing out as Trump's inauguration loomed under pressure from the incoming president.
