Nigel Farage ready to work with UK envoy to US Peter Mandelson to secure trade deal with Trump

London

British right-wing politician Nigel Farage has said he could help UK's envoy to US Peter Mandelson secure a trade deal with the Donald Trump administration.

The Reform UK leader told The Telegraph newspaper that he is ready to use his connections with the administration to help prevent hefty trade tariffs, starting with financial regulations.

Lord Mandelson has suggested that Farage’s friendship with the Republican president-elect could serve as a link between the UK and US administrations.

Also read | Can Trump overturn Biden's pardons? President-elect vows to pursue death penalty 'vigorously'

Amid the debate among Labour MPs about whether Mandelson should take on his help, Farage has indicated that he would support the national concern regardless of party politics.

“I am no fan of any of the people in the Labour Party, but if it is in the national interest I have always thought I could be a useful asset if they want to use that – but if they don’t, more fool them,” Farage said.

Farage believes he can act as a bridge between the UK and the Trump administration in areas including trade, tariffs, intelligence-sharing and countering terrorism as “a lot of the members of the President’s cabinet are friends of mine, and many of them long-term friends”.

“I know these people, and in terms of trade, in terms of defence and in terms of intelligence, the US is our most important relationship in the world – forget Brussels,” he added.

Also read | Major global crisis 'much more likely' in Trump's second term due to..., says his ex-NSA

Lord Mandelson has previously stated that a Labour-appointed ambassador to the US should “swallow” their pride and join hands with “friends” of the US administration like Farage to maintain relations and avoid a trade war.

However, senior members of the party are concerned the move may “elevate” the status of Farage and the Reform party, which may be upsetting for many Labour supporters.

Meanwhile, Farage argued that personal relationships matter at all levels in life. "It doesn’t matter how high you go, wherever you go these relationships matter.”

“There has to be a proper negotiation around tariffs and trade. The opportunity for sectoral free trade relationships is very, very high,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)