/ 25 November 2016

Financiers cheer shambassador

My man: Leader of right-wing UK Independent Party Nigel Farage
My man: Leader of right-wing UK Independent Party Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage, the Brexit campaigner United States president-elect Donald Trump said would be great as Britain’s envoy to Washington, taunted Prime Minister Theresa May with a mock ambassador’s reception complete with chocolate and champagne.

May’s government dismissed Trump’s suggestion this week of “ambassador Farage”, saying there was no vacancy because Kim Darroch is serving as ambassador to Washington.

At a party at London’s Ritz hotel, Farage was cheered by his financial backers for securing Brexit before offering guests pyramids of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, a joking reference to a British “ambassador’s reception” TV advert that cast the gold-foiled confection as the delicacy of choice for diplomats.

Farage praised what he called “the political revolution” that had brought Brexit and then the election of Trump, whom Farage supported at a political rally before his victory.

“For those that are here who aren’t particularly happy with what’s happened in 2016, I’ve got some really bad news for you: it’s going to get a bloody sight worse next year,” Farage told the guests.

“I suspect there is another big seismic shock in British politics, perhaps going to come at the next election,” Farage said, after complaining that Britain was still ruled by “the career professional political class”.

When asked by ITV about Farage’s ambassadorial ambitions, Britain’s finance minister, Philip Hammond, said if he ever needed advice from the leader of the UK Independence Party, he had his telephone number.

“Tell him not to hold his breath,” he added.