Donald Trump’s victory has caused global shockwaves. It has been rather joyous watching certain politicians, commentators and so-called impartial journalists get to grips with the reality that Trump will be back in The White House.
His victory presents a real headache for Sir Keir Starmer and his Cabinet who are already feeling the pressure after a disastrous start in Government that has seen personal and party poll ratings plummet.
Labour desperately needs to find a way to build a relationship with Donald Trump, a politician who is the complete opposite of them.
He is someone who understands that the best way to grow an economy is to support business and keeps taxes low, be tough on illegal migration and take a sensible approach to identity and gender politics. He is everything that Labour is not.
The party’s contempt for Trump is well documented with much focus on the past comments made by Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Today, they continue to haunt him.
Just a few short years ago and then a Tottenham MP, Mr Lammy wrote: “Trump is not only a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath, he is also a profound threat to the international order that has been the foundation of Western progress for so long.”
It is telling that the Prime Minister’s Press Secretary was forced to confirm that David Lammy would remain in post until the next general election when asked if the Prime Minister still had confidence in the Foreign Secretary following the US election result.
Starmer has rightly congratulated Donald Trump on his victory. His office said he “offered his hearty congratulations” to Trump in a phone call. And he has recalled how the two men enjoyed meeting each other in the US in September.
However, current criticism of the next US President by Labour politicians is never too far away. London’s Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan said Londoners would be “fearful” and “anxious” following Trump’s victory.
I also doubt that it has been forgotten that nearly one hundred Labour activists went to the US to campaign for rival Kamala Harris. Do not forget that Team Trump filed a legal complaint last month after this was revealed.
Labour has a big problem when it comes to Trump. They need to keep the renowned “special relationship” between the US and UK alive while dealing with an unpredictable and, at times, volatile world leader.
But there is one UK politician that has stood by Donald Trump through thick and thin and who has an extraordinary and longstanding relationship with him. That politician is Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and MP for Clacton.
By my reckoning, Farage is Trump’s number one British ally.
The issues facing Britain following Trump’s victory are many. His enthusiasm for imposing tariffs on all US imports would be disastrous for the UK. And his views on China and Ukraine differ vastly to those of Britain.
He will also have little time for this government’s obsession with clean energy, wind turbines and solar panels. Remember, during his last term in office, he removed America from the Paris climate agreement. This is a man who undoubtedly prefers fossil fuels.
In contrast, Farage has the ear of the US President-elect and could help to grease the wheels as the Government undertakes a damage limitation exercise following past and current comments of its senior representatives. He could also help develop some new common ground.
This may not be to Labour’s liking but it’s not fantasy-thinking. It is in the gift of Starmer to make this happen in some capacity. We have seen previous governments appoint so-called tsars from the world of business, politics or showbiz to work on certain projects.
Only last month, the Prime Minister appointed the former Conservative Justice Secretary David Gauke to lead a review of prison sentencing. The precedent for using those with differing political opinions for the benefit of the country is already there.
Gauke rejoined the Conservative Party in July after standing as an independent candidate in the 2019 election, proving political divides can be bridged if it is in the national interest.
Labour could be clever here. A new President in The White House revives the possibility of a UK/US free trade deal which would do wonders for our economy. To achieve this, you need someone who can talk the language of Trump and exploit that for our national advantage.
Previously, there was talk of Farage possibly becoming UK ambassador to the US, but that seems highly unlikely now given his domestic political responsibilities and the internal outrage such an appointment would cause the Labour Party. Despite his achievements, Farage remains a marmite politician.
The Government needs all the help it can get in navigating its future relationship with Donald Trump. Nigel Farage can and should play an integral role in that. If I were the Foreign Office, I would be inviting him in for a decent lunch. With wine.
