Former Labour cabinet minister seeks Farage’s help as UK’s new ambassador to the US amid trade concerns.
Lord Mandelson has reportedly shown openness to working with Nigel Farage in his capacity as the UK’s new ambassador to the United States, with the aim of improving relations with President-elect Donald Trump. Farage, a long-time ally of Trump since his 2016 election campaign, has offered to serve as a liaison to the president-elect, if it benefits the UK’s interests.
The move comes in the wake of fears over a potential trade war following Trump’s comments about imposing tariffs of up to 20 per cent on all foreign goods, including a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese imports. Lord Mandelson is said to be considering engaging with Farage to help prevent such tariffs targeting Britain.
Despite concerns from senior figures within the Labour Party about working with someone like Farage, who leads the Reform UK party, sources close to Mandelson argue that engaging with key figures is essential for managing UK-US relations effectively. A Labour ally of Mandelson explained that the goal is to conduct diplomacy in the best interests of the UK, even if it means working with figures deemed controversial.
Lord Mandelson had previously urged the UK government to “swallow its pride” and not disregard Farage, stressing the importance of building good relations with Trump.
Farage’s offer to assist Mandelson is particularly noteworthy, as he has been one of Trump’s closest supporters. His proposal comes at a time when Mandelson’s previous critical remarks about Trump—whom he once called a “white nationalist and racist”—could complicate efforts to build strong ties with the incoming president.
Trump’s senior adviser, Chris LaCivita, mocked Mandelson’s appointment, calling him an “absolute moron.” Meanwhile, the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to Washington was confirmed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, who described it as a “great honour.”
On the US side, President Trump has appointed Warren Stephens as the new US ambassador to the UK and Mark Burnett, the British TV producer behind The Apprentice, as his special envoy to the UK. Burnett played a significant role in boosting Trump’s profile in the US but distanced himself from the president in 2016, denouncing the divisive nature of Trump’s campaign.
Lord Mandelson has yet to comment on the situation.
