Guest essay by Eric Worrall
President-elect Trump has piled pressure on the British political establishment, which almost universally backed Clinton, by suggesting Climate Skeptic UKIP leader Nigel Farage should be Britain’s Ambassador to the USA.
Trump: Farage Would do ‘Great Job’ As UK Ambassador to USA
President-elect Donald J. Trump has ostensibly thrown his support behind the idea of UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage becoming the British Ambassador to the United States in a tweet issued late on Monday night.
The next president of the United States issued the statement, unprompted, via his Twitter feed, stating that the idea was popular amongst “many people” in a move that is sure to set the British political establishment into a further tailspin.
Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016
…
Read more: http://www.breitbart.com/london/2016/11/21/trump-farage-great-job-uk-ambassador-usa/
Nigel Farage has spent most of his political career thumbing his nose at establishment politicians, tirelessly campaigning against the encroaching green tyranny of the neo-Soviet European Union. Farage was the driving force behind the successful Brexit campaign. Farage has survived a nasty plane crash, a suspicious car accident, and who knows what else. Farage also spoke up for Trump, shared a stage with Trump, when establishment European politicians were almost universally cozying up to the Clinton campaign.
British establishment politicians are on the horns of a dilemma. If they ignore Trump’s request, well thats not a great way to start a relationship with the new President, a relationship which is already on shaky ground thanks to their insulting behaviour during the Presidential campaign. But if the British government appoints Farage as their new ambassador, for some in Britain it will be an intolerable elevation of a maverick who has spent years poking their self serving complacency with a sharp stick.
I once had the privilege of spending 20 minutes one on one with Farage, at the London launch of James Delingpole’s book Watermelons. Farage is the same in person as he is in public, he simply doesn’t give a stuff about playing by the usual rules of politics – like someone else we all know.
Update (EW): Nigel Farage responds – I am prepared to help Britain work with President Trump
Update (EW): Britain responds – ‘No vacancy’ for Farage as ambassador
Trump and Farage do have reputations as bomb-throwers. The real question is how much of the reputation is real in both cases. (I really doubt the Conservative Party in the UK would appoint anyone not a member of their own party).
I assume that by no means all ambassadors would necessarily be a member of the ruling party.
Bearing in mind his pivotal role in Brexit it would have been sensible to have given him a job helping to negotiate the right deal. I assume the Govt would rather not have him in in Westminster (or Brussels) so a job far away might be sensible, especially as securing a deal with the US is very important
tonyb
It is a ridiculous proposal, demonstrating Trump’s ignorance about government and international relations.
HM Ambassadors are appointed by the UK government, rather than by foreign powers. It is customary to appoint seasoned diplomats as ambassadors, in line with the seriousness of the job.
Not sure that Trump is trying to achieve here. Needlessly poking allies in the eye is usually unwise. Maybe Trump is trying to divert attention from reports that he is trying to use the presidency to affect wind farm siting decisions in Scotland.
Actually what IS POSSIBLE; is that Trump could
appoint Farage as US Ambassador or Attache either
to UK, or to the EU. That would be equally unpalatable
to Globalists, at Westminster or in Brussels. I believe
that the EU position would cause maximum damage
to the “Establishment”, and particularly Mr Verhofstadt,
will be chagrined to learn that he would have Farage
peering over his shoulder as US Ambassador or even
in the relatively diminutive role of US Trade Attache.
We might see a reprise of the famous “Non” of
General de Gaulle. Where EU Commissioners,
bowing before Farage, and begging for concessions,
and being told… “Non ! …. we prefer to have a separate
trade deal with each country in Europe, and we will be
starting with The United Kingdom !
Ha !
What a deplorably splendid idea.
Maybe not Ambassador – but perhaps Cultural Attache along the lines of Sir Les Patterson..?
(Brits and Aussies may have to explain this to our US cousins….)
The first sensible idea I have seen.
I’m sure you can find Sir Les on YouTube. Well worth the visit !
Also, for a belly laugh, see
A gentle satire.
Auto.
Oh, auto — THANK YOU! I needed a laugh. That was great! 🙂
G’Day mate. ” Now some of you pommie bastards are afraid of Australian sharks. Well, let me tell you that we don’t get sharks more than ten miles inland, unless they’re really hungry”. ( all said in a wide Australian accent )
Love Sir Les, always pissed burping and farting as he goes about insulting everybody. Our Nige wouldn’t be that bad, would he?
Downing Street has already pooh-poohed this as an idea but no matter, millions in the UK are enjoying the sight of the Establishment’s nose being tweaked almost every week and this is the latest episode. We endure ‘governance’ from Tinos (Tories In Name Only) just as the United States endures governance from Rinos – nodding dog MPs who gravitate to the centre because that is where the power lies and where politicians who have no actual political convictions of their own go to vegetate. These days, they are getting their comeuppance from a rebellious electorate and it really is rather delicious…
It’s fun, isn’t it? It reminds me once when I had a job to do in an army barracks in Aldershot. I had only been there about an hour when some tit in a uniform mistook me for a serving soldier, and barked at me. I calmly informed him that I wasn’t a soldier, and was just working there. His face was a picture. I couldn’t help but smile as his face dropped.
This is just a brain dead post! Where is the evidence that the “British political establishment, which almost universally backed Clinton”? Don’t make up things, Eric! How is this post contributing to any knowledge? And I don’t think the “British Establishment” will feel any pressure from a reality TV star as to whom they should be appointing as British Ambassador! Really, shame on you. This is very lame post.
Oh dear.
Nigel Farage ‘irrelevant’ to UK-Trump relationship, says defensive Downing Street
A clearly annoyed Downing Street has dismissed claims Nigel Farage will be used as a go-between for British ministers and the new Trump administration in the US, branding the interim UKIP leader an “irrelevance.”
https://www.rt.com/uk/366501-farage-trump-downing-street/
They are a bit sensitive at number 10.
Just to really get up the nose of the establishment someone ought to start an online petition supporting the idea. I think it needs 100,000 votes in order to get a hearing in Parliament. The debate would be fascinating…
tonyb
I suspect that sometime early on Nov. 10th, number 10 did a number 2 in their collective britches.
Richard, I don’t know where you’ve been the past few months, but all I’ve seen from the TV and newspapers here (UK) is constant Trump-bashing. It may be a little too far to say that they supported Clinton, but it most certainly doesn’t stretch the imagination. Have you forgotten that Cameron said Trump was “Stupid and wrong”? Oh, I think you have. It’s also quite clear that the Tories are spitting blood at how Mr Farage is being treated by the President.
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/18/europe/uk-parliament-debates-trump-ban/
Look at it, Richard!
Wow, you leftists really do have your panties in a twist.
As to who the British establishment supported, past news articles are still available. At least until Hillary teaches the BBC how to wipe a server.
That reality TV star is now president elect. Deal with it.
PS: I’m laughing at your loss of composure.
Richard: “Where is the evidence that the “British political establishment, which almost universally backed Clinton”?”
Where have you been for the past six months?
In practically every organ of the MSM, most especially the BBC.
Did it escape your attention that the Government gave considerable thought to actually banning him from visiting the UK?
This is poor form catweazle666. One, you’ve got very personal, which is inappropriate for a science blog.
Secondly, you’re totally wrong on a few counts….
I’m not on any side. It’s not sour grapes as it isn’t my country. I’m just pointing out some facts. Good luck to the USA and Trump. I sincerely hope he’s a great president.
The British Parliament discussed Trump before the election. I’m sure they wouldn’t now that he is President-elect.
And please, catweazle666, think before you type! All the best…
Oh, waaa…waaa…waaa….
It seems to have escaped your attention that this is a politics thread on a science blog.
So go patronise someone else, you passive aggressive, boring little man.
Uh, he’s no longer “a reality TV star” – he’s the President Elect of the United States of America. Ignoring him might be contraindicated.
According to the left, the only respectable background for a politician, is to have been a politician your entire life.
If you’ve ever made money somewhere else, you are less worthy.
Trump has moved way beyond reality TV star!
While our current president seems to have remained stuck in his community organizer role.
DJT is going to be great.
“reality TV star”?
pres·i·dent-e·lect
noun: president-elect; plural noun: presidents-elect
a person who has been elected president but has not yet taken up office.
Sorry people – I can’t believe some of these replies!
He’s still an ex-reality TV star. That any normal person questions Trump’s credentials does not make them pro-Hilary by default. Again a long bow.
Given the man faces currently faces 75 court actions, it seems quite reasonable for the British Parliament to debate whether they want him in their country. That the majority of USA citizens want him is a falsehood. Facts are that Hilary is currently 2.5 million votes ahead. Yes, that’s right folks, that’s a fact. He has made an extraordinary breach of diplomatic protocol in saying Farage would make a good US ambassador via Twitter.
He is president of the USA due to winning the Electoral College vote and congratulations to him and his team. And wishing us all the best of luck over the next 4 years if he gets that far.
More sour grapes from a poor loser.
Trump won. You lost lost.
Suck it up.
As to “it seems quite reasonable for the British Parliament to debate whether they want him in their country”, whether you like it or not we’re discussing the President-elect of the richest, most powerful nation on Earth, who is half-Scot and who has expressed a strong affection for the citizens of the United Kingdom, so it doesn’t seem reasonable at all, and if you truly believe it does, I suggest you seek professional medical attention.
Out of interest catweazle, how old are you? Honest answer please…..
“Out of interest catweazle, how old are you?”
Unlike you, old enough to have left school, Richard.
I’m so glad that you’ve finally left school! Exciting times ahead like finding and keeping a job and so much more to learn….
Richard: “Exciting times ahead like finding and keeping a job and so much more to learn….”
I believe that’s more likely to you actually, when you get out of short pants.
For my part, I’m pretty much retired these days, own property in the UK and Europe and ended up as MD of a hi-tech company with a clientele reaching from Tokyo to Texas.
Perhaps one day you might get a job yourself, but with your attitude I can’t for the life of me imagine who might wish to employ you.
I did ask politely for you to give your age! I incorrectly assumed with your preoccupation of school age, that you may have been a bit younger than a retiree. Apologies for any unintentional disrespect.
Considering how rude BoJo and several other politicians, not to mention the good old British media, were about Trump during his campaign, he deserves his moment of sweet revenge. Both he and Nigel are rubbing the establishment’s collective nose in it and probably having a good old laugh between them.
Assuming our ‘up their own ar*e’ government don’t appoint Nigel as some sort of consultant to Trump, the first day at work will be incredibly uncomfortable for our US ambassador, especially if Trump wheels in Nigel as his official ‘interpreter’.
It’s a brave new world and personally, I can’t wait to see what happens.
I don’t know about Nigel being the interpreter, but I look forward to Trump’s first reply of: “That’s sounds very interesting ambassador, but I’ll just run it past Nigel”.
Good one, Roy! And you can bet Trump *will* run it by Nigel, whether he says so publicly or not.
From here in Croydon, it really does seem as if a portion [a large portion?] of the media wants to wake up and be reassured that, yes, HRC will be President.
But it won’t happen.
The Donald [like him or love him] will be POTUS.
And a lot of folk need to adjust and seek plays that will, perhaps, pursue their interests.
The Donald [like him or love him] will be POTUS.
Auto
NB – keep an eye on the Italian referendum; whether Madame Le President Le Pen actually ascends to the Elysee; and the fate of Angela Merkel, with AfD seeking huge gains.
When Nigel gave his last speach at the EU he did so with seemingly no recognition that we would have to work with them at a later date. It was a five year old’s ‘nah, nah, I won, you smell’ speech. He could have taken the high ground and given a serious and magnificent speech about how Europe had started as a great idea but been destroyed by its desire to form a single entity. He most definitely wasn’t gracious in victory. I absolutely don’t want our representatives to be smarmy doormats but I don’t want them to be jeering loudmouths either.
Now I like the fact that Farage was there for Trump when few else were but I fear that if relations fracture between him and Trump they will go VERY wrong. There are other Brits who supported both Brexit and Trump I’d pick before Farage.
Did you actually view the speech, that the E.U. MP Mr Farage gave on that day?
Or was It just the “high lights”.
For ten years Mr Farage has been telling it them they would regret their attitude to his thinking.
For all that time he has been vilified by the custard Types.
Who have an opinion but little intelligence to back it up with.
Take time and review.
I seem to remember he said they had mocked him for 13 years. Sorry if that’s pedantic.
I think he was perfectly entitled to launch a rant at them, no one else ever had the balls to tell them it, as it is. And whilst we moan about slimy politicians who doublespeak and always avoid answering a question, we also moan when Nigel walks in and speaks his mind.
The same with change. Everyone says things have to change, but when they do, they all bleat, ‘but I meant my change, no one else’s’.
I’m not entirely happy about the individuals involved, but I’m not complaining about the change itself. It’s what I asked for and it’s what I got. Now it’s up to everyone to back what we have and wait until the next UK election before we discuss our differences. Hopefully it will be done by adults this time.
I watched as much of the speech as I could stand and was embarassed by it. I don’t care if they kicked sand in his eyes every day he was there. At that point he was representing all those who had voted to leave and even those who voted to remain. It’s not knowing when to stop pushing that loses him support on every level. Contrast instead Trump’s victory speech, where he reognised he still had to represent both halves of America. It doesn’t mean he will in practice but he knows enough to try and reassure people.
Ironically Farage makes the same mistake as Cameron. People voted for the policy not for the person. Camron thought he’d win the referendum because the country voted for him. They didn’t, they voted for Conservative policies rather than Labour/SNP ones. Remember UKIP only have one MP and it’s not Farage. Similarly, Americans have voted for change, not necessarily for every part of Trump’s hitherto demonstrated behaviour/personality.
For a start its “speech” not speach. Secondly, I was surprised by how easy on them he was, if it had been me I’d have torn them to shreds – especially the grinning idiot – Guy Verhofstadt. I don’t want to be gracious in victory, not after the insults and smears they’ve pushed our way. Twenty years they’ve insulted him, derided him, laughed at him and tried by hook and by crook to shut him up. Not happy with the sheer numbers of immigrants – you must be racist, which means we’re automatically islamophobes and xenophobes too. Why don’t you call me a “Deplorable” whilst you’re at it!. It would be a badge I’d wear with pride.
What you failed to notice (because you never watched it all) was Farage’s call for them to accept the result and to be sensible and pragmatic. You sell to us and we’ll sell to you. We can do a deal. We can be good friend and neighbours, But no, that’s not good enough is it. They want to punish us for having the effing temerity to defy them and vote to leave their corrupt and diseased EUSSR. In their bid to punish us “pour encourages les autres” they’ve shown the real face of the EU, and paradoxically why we voted out in the first place.
As for Farage vis a vis Trump. There is no way in the world that the British Establishment will permit it to happen because a) Farage is not part of the Establishment, b) They are mostly pro-EU, and c) They hate him because he’s been right on just about everything and he’s been rubbing their noses in it for years.
And because of that, they’re happy to kill at birth what should be a strong and productive relationship.
If I thought that they would remain friends forever and that Farage would truly represent what the British want, as opposed to what Farage wants, then I’d agree with you. I have my doubts on both those fronts. I’d also agree that the Conservatives have made stupid mistakes and opened their mouths when they should have been shut.
Sadly the EU doesn’t have to co-operate with us. They could cut their noses off to spite their faces and may well do that with or without provocation from Farage. Most importantly they want to punish so that no other EU country dare do the same as us. The future negotiations are a tightrope of strength without arrogance and co-operation without weakness. I don’t know who has those skills, but it’s not Farage.
So you want to surrender first in order to avoid the possibility of conflict.
Knowing that Trump has no respect for settled traditions (and I do not mean this as a slam), there would be nothing stopping him from being polite and brisk with the appointed ambassador…yet have long, involved conversations with Mr. Farage.
TinyCO2
I agree if two strong people calash they calash. Nigel makes a good lose free cannon and would be wasted tied as a Ambassador. I see him being pulled in to fire broadsides at the EU which he enjoys and dose so well.
“A great idea?” Great ideas do not emerge from conspiracies and settle down to oppress the people.
From the post-future:
His Excellency Nigel Farage the ambassador of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, to the United States of America, on his arrival at Washington Dulles International Airport addressing representatives of the US media qualified the new era in the US-UK special relationship in the following terms:
“I think frankly when it comes to chaos you ain’t seen nothing yet.“
+1! 🙂
This is a brain dead idea – which Erc Worrall twists into relevance for WUWT readers by somehow tying it to climate.
Firstly UK has a non-political diplomatic service – unlike US ambassadors are career diplomats not political appointees
Secondly, Farage is leader of the third opposition party. This suggestion is like Theresa May asking Trump to make Gary Johnson ambassador to London
Lastly, Farage would not possibly consider complying with basic rules of diplomacy such as being loyal to his government rather than the leader he is dealing with
That is about the best summation yet.
Farage would not be useful in that role.
The lead and collare would be on.
If you think the UK has a non-political diplomatic service I have a Louis XIV DVD player to sell you. You don’t get to be even considered for the service unless you utter all the right noises and push the right buttons..
Why should he be loyal to a Government? Surely the primary point here is that he is loyal to his country – or is that too nationalistic for you?
That’s simply not true. The home civil service and parts of the FCO that deal with the EU are partly poltiicised, but the vast majority of the FCO is not. And of course ambassadors should be loyal to the government: the government represents the people and has been elected. Farage has failed to be elected an MP on a number of occasions, and Ukip polls 15% at most, with the Tories currently at 40% or more. The idea that Farage somehow represents “the nation” is absurd, and is only claimed by the increasingly small number of Ukip supporters.
Well, Mr. Hammond, if, indeed, the FCO is not largely staffed by political appointees, then Mr. Farage’s election failures are irrelevant. That is, you unintentionally contradicted yourself.
Further, you mischaracterize rapscallion (again, this is assumed to be unintentional). He or she cited Farage’s being “loyal to his country.” You falsely equate patriotism with electioneering success and, then, you mistakenly assume that your inaccurate assertion in some way refutes rapscallion.
Finally, that the majority of the foreign service of a country are career bureaucrats in no way precludes the Ambassador from being a political appointee.
In other words, you have failed to refute rapscallion and those agreeing with her or him above.
Tim, bureaucrats are loyal to the government? Not so fast, bureaucrats are loyal to the bureaucracy. I believe that is the whole reason the “intelligentsia” has been able to inordinately influence and been able to create a continuous drumbeat down the road to first “Global 2000” in the eighties and succeeded that with PAC21 since. None of that has anything to do with how citizens voted or what those citizen’s concerns were. It only has to do with pragmatists allowing that “globalist” philosophical genre to infect their governments in an effort “go along to get along”
Now that’s funny.
The very idea that anyone who works for the government is non-political.
In reality non-political just means that everyone there is far left so that there are no longer any political disagreements.
Here in the US, we also have “non-political” elected positions. What that means is that they don’t put the party identification on the ballot. However that only fools those who are either hopelessly clueless or who just desperately want to be fooled.
Have you forgotten the priceless value of “STICKING IT TO THE MAN”. Table turning is the strategy. What do you think this is all about? GK
AndyL: “Firstly UK has a non-political diplomatic service”
Really?
That’s news to me!
I’m sorry, but Gary Johnson is being appointed Ambassador to Aleppo.
I just love this photograph of two privately educated people who have only ever worked in high finance and property dealing, standing in a gold plated lift telling us they are men of the people and anti-establishment. Satire is indeed dead.
As opposed to Hillary?
Ah, you prefer green (with envy) state educated then?
This serves to illustrate Trump’s incompetence. Needlessly poking allies in the eye is usually considered unwise.
Perhaps this is to detract attention from Trump trying to use the presidency to interfere in wind farm siting decisions by the government of Scotland.
“Perhaps this is to detract attention from…”
How Clintonian.
“Needlessly poking allies in the eye is usually considered unwise.” Is that so Except when the British government casts scorn on one of the contenders for the U.S. presidency? Or, for that matter, when Obama went to Britain to lecture the people on the right attitude toward membership in the EU?
I guess it only matters which eye is poked.
As to Scotland, show me how that “interference” (if it even is present) is harmful to anyone, especially the Scots. I suppose we should take umbrage at anyone who points up an expensive stupidity.
(And now a piece of witticism. Should we call those who earn your criticism as those “for whom the Tol bells”?)
Nigel Farage has been accused of many things, but never diplomacy.
+ many.
He’s been accused of being consistently correct. On that, he is guilty. I can think of very few politicians are are continually proved right in what they say. He’s made a few mistakes, but he really does have the common touch, and that’s why the establishment hate him. He says what the majority of people think, and in an eloquent manner. Even Andrew Neil couldn’t get the better of him, and Paxman failed abysmally.
Having, as a result of this article, looked through several you tube videos of his speeches, I would wonder why, because of what appears to be his superb understanding of EU difficulties, he is not more popular with the voters. Perhaps because the media (as with Trump in the US) doesn’t give him fair coverage or because there isn’t that much interest in basic politics in the UK by the populace?
Geert Wilders
That’s a major plus in his favor.
Lots of this article and the comments on here are based on ignorance.
UK ambassadors are civil servants, not political appointments. They are people who have worked their way up through the UK civil service and have vast experience of dealing with foreign governments on all sorts of issues, from tourists who have their passports stolen to complex telecom trade negotiations.
The Brexit vote was not led by Farage, and Ukip polls around 10-14% in the UK. The Conservative Party currently polls around 40%.
There’s zero evidence that the current government supported Clinton. Unlike say the US government, the UK government stays well out of other people’s elections.
The idea that someone who has spent their entire lives working for the government, isn’t political is so ludicrous that only a liberal could believe it.
MarkW, I think you and a good many other commenters in this thread overstate the sincerity of political ideology for a good many career politicians. I really doubt Hillary Clinton is a true believing green any more than I think Breznev was a devout Marxist. They use and suck up to the faithful, but it is machine politics, all the way down 🙂
I’m not talking about career politicians. I’m ridiculing the notion that career diplomats aren’t political.
Trying to get Farage to campaign against offshore wind farms when you have lost the court case against building one next to your golf course is not playing too well in the UK…
Neither is telling a sovereign nation who to appoint as ambassador.
For the Queen, St George and my friend Donald
http://www.johnwtomac.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Sketch_DonQuixote.jpg
Aw, Vukcevic — what a guy. Thanks for sharing that! And, unlike Don Quixote, you, O Knight of the Freelancers, know that the windmonsters with their plundering of the public treasure and inflicting power outages across the land are, in reality, a grave, threat to the people of the British Isles!
Heh!
http://www.reuters.com/article/windfarm-denmark-idUSL5N18A2V8
With all due respect, but even WUWT should show some kind of dignity as to whom you endorse as representative of the United Kingdom! There is a small chance that Mr. Farage would have to cope with others than the new president-elect, and they may not all be as civil towards his lack of consideration and common decency in his relations to anyone not thinking like he is. He is now riding high on being against a united Europe, but when the tide turns you Britons will be in deep shit (more politely aka serious trouble) and even more so with persons like Messrs Farage and Johnson conveying your message. As an example, do you really imagine NF or BJ will get your domestic automobile industry to function again as independent enterprises or your coal miners getting back their work?
Imagine NF trying to play witty with Frau Merkel. She won’t even sweep the floor with him; she grabs him, crumples him and feeds him to the birds.
Dear Johan,
I have a feeling that you are not all that familiar with American culture. Thus, you may not be completely aware of how Americans view forthrightness, bluntly honest talk, and rough-around-the-edges-at-times manners. Americans generally find such a person refreshingly bold and candid and a pleasure to do business with. Americans, as a whole. do not put a high value on being “civil,” i.e., observing the niceties of etiquette and manners. They view such things as nice, but, of low importance in the business or political arena.
Thus, a delightfully jovial, straight talking, bold, personality like that of Nigel Farage is PERFECT to represent the United Kingdom to the United States. Perhaps, not to New Zealand (?), but, to the U.S., yes!
In choosing a marketing representative or a spokesperson, an organization will succeed ONLY if it remembers who each given audience is.
Sincerely….. and with three cheers for Farage!,
Your American friend,
Janice
Janice, in my experience most Brits (and probably the common people of most every other country) don’t put a lot of weight behind the social niceties.
It’s only the self declared elite and those who want to cozy up to them, that think that smiling at someone while ordering your underlings to stab him in the back is somehow more gentile than being honest in the first place.
“She won’t even sweep the floor with him; she grabs him, crumples him and feeds him to the birds.”
Amazing how under her “leadership” the EU will shortly be a cultural nightmare. And it’s not too farsighted to predict that in coming decades when there are large Islamic majorities and governance that the EU will truly be democratically, intellectually and creatively deceased with a dangerous attitude toward what remaining Western standards that there may be. Such a result could indeed cause a conflict similar to the middle ages, except today the weapons are much more awesome.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_Alone
johan: “She won’t even sweep the floor with him; she grabs him, crumples him and feeds him to the birds.”
Utter bollocks.
Farage would chew silly Mutti up and spit her out in bubbles.
In any case, I’d be surprised if she hasn’t been booted out by the time Trump enters the White House.
No, this is a stupid idea. If the British government starts letting foreign governments nominate its ambassadors for it, it has surrendered a fundamental part of its sovereignty. Unambiguously, the ambassador represents the democratically elected British government, not, rapscallion, his personal view of the interests of the nation or, worse, the view of a foreign power whose goodwill we cannot take for granted. If Trump thinks we have thrown of the EU yoke just to be become his vassals he can f*** off.
I do like that attitude ADS1972.
But I don’t really think that The Donald was doing anything more than signaling his general preference as to the KIND of person he would prefer to deal with. Nothing wrong with that, especially given how the British side of things has fawned over Obama and signaled it’s nose holding over Trump’s ascension, albeit prior to The Nigel’s efforts to ‘throw off the yoke’ having been successful.
As for Frau Merkel….I can only judge based on videos I have seen of Nigel engaging in the European Parliament. In my opinion, the Frau could not make a bigger mistake than to view him as an easy pushover.
Bird food he will not be.
I don’t think we have much choice. Now that we are no longer under the umbrella of the EU, Trump can pretty well do what he want ( Grab the UK by the crotch!) and there is little we can do except salute and say ‘Yessir “!
Now that’s funny. You actually believe that you were being protected by the EU?
How naive.
“Now that we are no longer under the umbrella of the EU”
Whatever it is you’re smoking Gareth, can I have some?
Besides which, it is likely to be around two years minimum before we’re out altogether – unless the vile kleptofascist thing collapses first, which is by no means inconceivable.
I think a lot of people are missing the point of how bad relations likely are between Trump and the UK. The UK establishment were almost universally rotten towards Trump, even discussing banning Trump from visiting the UK in the British parliament – they all expected an easy Clinton victory.
Trump has advocated a programme of “America first”, and a strong anti-bank, anti-Wall Street mandate. All trade deals are potentially going to be re-negotiated, including trade relations with the UK, with a view to strengthening America’s position in those deals.
The UK has the right to choose their ambassador. But Trump has the right to decide whether he will give that ambassador the time of day, or pay any attention to British priorities. If the UK appoints some boring establishment hack, it would be an utter disaster for British interests.
At least Farage would be able to get Trump on the phone – and he knows who everyone is back in the UK and Europe.
+1
+2
Its large amounts of sour grapes on both sides of the Atlantic Eric. I recall Farage has been called ‘irrelevant’ here by Westminster. The UK Police still have a case open on what happened at Thanet during the last local elections where Farage stood and lost…amount spent by the Tories? Trump gets it because of his past business deals where he did pretty much what businessmen do to win. Trump has been consistent throughout his life when called upon to comment about Administrations. Farage equally consistent….and both largely struggling along singled handed. Farage is well practised at that rat hole in Brussels!
“Aberdeenshire business owner wins presidential election”
http://www.ellontimes.co.uk/news/aberdeenshire-business-owner-wins-presidential-election-1-4282745
Lols…..
good point… but this works 2 ways… Trump does not impress the UK govt either, for a number of reasons, nor any govt when he talks about pulling out of the Paris agreement and climate change being a hoax
Its not Gov’t(s) that need to be impressed, its the people(s) largely. You may have noticed recently?
Telling the truth doesn’t impress socialists.
Color me surprised.
Colin, like most good socialists, Griff believes that it is the job of the people to do what their government tells them to do.
Not the other way around.
Since he can, and it is, what can the EU do but sit there in silence and pull a long face?
When the news of who was going to win hit the streets, I suspect that number 10 did a number two in it’s britches.
“The UK has the right to choose their ambassador.”
And Trump has the right to treat him with the contempt with which the UK Establishment have treated Trump, which he richly deserves.
The UK does have every right to select who it’s ambassador is. A grand total of nobody, ever claimed otherwise.
The US president has every right to try and influence who the UK chooses as it’s ambassador.
The UK in turn have every right to ignore what the US president has to say on this issue.
That’s how rights work.
“President-elect Donald J. Trump has ostensibly thrown his support…”
===========
A lot of people didn’t see that word.
I’ll try this again, did not seem to work first time.
I think Satire is now truly dead.
An extremely wealthy stockbroker and a wealthy property magnate, both born into extremely wealthy families, privately educated at the some of the worlds most exclusive schools, standing in a gold plated lift together, telling the world that they are men of the people. That they are anti-establishment, that they identify with low paid workers. Two men who have never undertaken the sort of work 99.9% of the world face everyday.
You really could not make it up.
You can’t make it up because fiction has to be plausible. Reality does not.
+1
Over and over…. since the beginning of the world.
Mr. Phillips,
In your eagerness to defend “the little guy,” you have (in haste only, no doubt) mischaracterized Misters Trump and Farage. They have NEVER claimed to be the equals (in life experience) of working people, common laborers, or the like. What they claim is to know how to give those people, inter alia:
— jobs (via tax policy, energy regulation, and truly fair trade deals with foreign nations, inter alia)
— efficiently run effective infrastructure management and
— immigration policies that protect their jobs and their very lives.
And that’s why the majority of such people voted for Mr. Trump and for Brexit (union members rallied behind it! 🙂 ).
Janice
On the other hand, the Democrats were putting up people who have never worked a real job in their lives, going from one elected position to another. Hillary has a long history of being rude to those who work for her, even going so far as throwing dishware at White House staff.
Your claim to caring about the little people is duly noted, and filed appropriately.
You really don’t get it do you, Gareth?
Just out of interest, are you still a student?
Just because nobody takes you seriously, is not evidence that we aren’t hearing you.
In fact it is strong evidence that we are hearing you loud and clear.
Trump has been rubbing shoulders with working men from a very early age. They don’t call him the “Blue-collar Billionaire” for nothing.
BTW Mr Farage never was a stock broker. If memory serves he was a metals trader, risking his own money.
Nigel Farage has too important a task holding the UK Government’s feet to the fire to be relegated to a lowly and mostly irrelevant job such as an ambassador. Nigel is needed in the UK fighting against the EUSSR.
Yes, Mr. Bratby, that’s the bottom line, here. That is why, if I were making the decision, I would not appoint the very able Mr. Farage to be an ambassador. Farage should be in a position of great influence, for he is one of the current lynchpins of liberty.
I heard Mr. Farange say Saturday, that he was not much interested in the ambassdors job, and that it looked like he might be running for political office again. It seems the last election he was in had a lot of questions about its trustworthiness, and a new election might be called, and Farange said he would stand for that election if it happened.
My opinion, Farage will once again become leader of UKIP to sort out in-fighting and prepare party for snap election.
Labour and Lib Dems are scuppered, Cons are split up, down and sideways, Arron Banks has the money to make it happen.
Interesting times.
Boris Johnson today dismissed the idea of Farage being ambassador -and went on to say this about Trump and climate change:
“I think that president-elect Trump is a deal maker. And when it comes to climate change, this is something that the UK has led on globally, we have had outstanding success and, yes – I’m very open with the House – it is a message that we are taking to the administration, we believe it to be important, we believe it be in the interests of the United States and of the world.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-claims-labours-hostile-reaction-to-donald-trump-will-damage-uk-us-relations_uk_58342fa5e4b09025ba3370c7
I think….. Boris Johnson is a two-faced, slithering, hypocrite. Trumpets the free market one year, promotes the wind/solar hu$tler$ the next. Johnson had my admiration a few years ago. Now, he has only my contempt.
(yes, yes, not that he cares, not that the British care, just one tiny American voice piping up from the back row)
Griff gives all appearances of getting desperate, doesn’t he.
“Boris Johnson is a two-faced, slithering, hypocrite.”
Now come on Janice, isn’t that a bit harsh on two-faced, slithering, hypocrites?
Oh good grief, up pops Grifter and invokes the Puffington Host quoting Boris the Buffoon Johnson…
It really is funny how the left actually thinks that anyone else takes their echo chambers seriously.
Hate to rain of everyone’s parade here, but here is the latest on this issue from the USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/11/22/94262570/.
“LONDON — The office of British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that Nigel Farage could be Britain’s ambassador to the United States.”
“Farage, the interim leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), was a leading figure in the campaign for Britain to exit the European Union. He said he was “flattered” by Trump’s suggestion.
……..
……..
No. 10 Downing Street, May’s office, said there was “no vacancy.” Kim Darroch, the United Kingdom’s current ambassador to the U.S., has been in the job since January.”
……But don’t get me wrong here. I think it is very healthy for a democracy when individuals like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump come along and upset the political establishment, whether its in Britain or here in the USA. The establishment goes into what I would call “sleep mode” sometimes and needs someone to come along and give it a wakeup call. Farage and Trump have both been successful at doing this on their respective sides of the Big Pond, and I hope to see more of it in the future.
Yes! My first thought was, “Oh, I wish Nigel Farage could be Prime Minister.”
Of course, dear British allies, I realize that I have NO say in this matter and ask your indulgence of my expressing my opinion so fervently.
Well, in what — EVER role Mr. Farage finds himself, he will continue to prove himself heroically determined, wisely discerning, and, I believe, EMMINENTLY SUCCESSFUL (Go, Brexit!)!
(Hm. His ancestors emigrated from France….. immigrant prejudice! — JUST KIDDING).
Why do you think it will rain on anyone’s parade? Trump’s “proposal” wasn’t serious and I doubt anyone here is particularly hoping otherwise.
Does anyone really know when Trump isn’t serious?
The secret to both good humor and good politics, is to never let them know when you are serious, and when you aren’t.
“Kim Darroch, the United Kingdom’s current ambassador to the U.S., has been in the job since January.”
That’ll be “Sir” Kim Darroch, another little man whose face fits and who wears the right tie and who was so ill-advised as to sneer at Trump.
I’m sure Donald will remember that.
Who know it is Sir Kim Darroch? Probably fewer than know of Nigel Farage.
I can just see the historical account: “Conversations with a Nullity.”
If there was a vacancy in the role of PM it would be filled by someone we’d like even less than Mrs May (and I like her a lot more than Cameron whom I detest). Farage is not in a position to be PM. UKIP is not a leading party at the moment. He is supposedly looking for a new leader for his party and candidates keep dropping out – one quit after being punched by another UKIP member. He is constantly at odds with his one genuine MP and some of the other party members who do well in front of a camera. Should UKIP move on from its one major policy platform (leaving the EU) and become a Trump style people’s party it would likely displace Labour not the Conservatives. Last time I looked, Mrs May has the highest support of all the party leaders. A position only endangered by Brexit not going well. Going well doesn’t mean just leaving the EU. It means leaving and having a decent economy afterwards. Brexit and by connection Farage would be blamed if things go badly. The next election is either soon (too soon for May to fail) or in 3.5 years (soon enough for Brexit to be scary but not soon enough for people to rejoice). And if there is reason to be happy, the Conservatives will claim the prize. So even if Farage stays at the head of UKIP, it would be unlikely he’d be in a position to be PM until the election five years on. At the end of Trump’s second term, assuming he gets one (and he might).
The Conservatives are daft to dismiss Farage and Trump but neither has one of them earned the position of white knight yet.
Farage is skeptical that there is a climate? I highly doubt that.
THere is roughyl a 0.0% chance Trump was suggesting Farage be made the Ambassador to the U.S. Obviously, he was paying Farage a compliment in typical Trump style.
I take it to be Trump jabbing at the UK government sarcastically suggesting they should now listen to him because their veiled attempt to discredit him before the election failed.
Could Trump make Farage US Ambassador to UK?
I don’t know of any rules against it. However I doubt Mr. Farage would accept.
He might be willing to serve as an un-official go between.
And/or to EU?
I scripted my original comment very tongue-in-cheek, but the fast-expanding visions of how such an Ambassadorship wd play-out are very entertaining! A TV series perhaps?!
I seem to remember that any incoming Ambassador has to present his ‘papers’; at the Court of St. James. I wonder if this institution (as a mouthpiece for the Gov’t) could squelch a Farage application? I’m sure it’d put the cat among the fusty Westminster pigeons.
Any humorous responses welcome on this theme … along with any others!
Mister Farage Goes to London — Act I
Scene 1
{Rapid knocking on door — off stage}
{Door of No. 10 Downing St. opens, just a crack — eyes peer out of gloomy interior}
Porter: Name yer business.
Nigel Farage (wearing: Ralph Lauren (yes, I picked that maker intentionally (smile)) suit, impeccably puckered tie, shoes shined to a fair-thee-well, and a grin): Mr. Farage. I have an appointment.
Porter: Who with?
Farage: Prime Minister May.
{Door slams shut — through shut door, porter heard shrieking, voice receding into interior}
Porter (within): Missus MAY! Mihihihihihsusssss Maaaaaaaaaaay!!!! UKIPs’s ‘ere….. what do I DO?
{minutes pass…. muffled voices; footsteps approach — meanwhile, Farage looks at watch, at sky, at potted geranium, at camera (*wink*)}
{Door opens}
Porter (glumly): All roit, then. Come in.
Farage (smiling — follows in and down hall): Thank you very much, kind sir.
Porter (muttering partially audible curses): ‘ere. Sit down on that stool there. She’ll be out in a minute.
{exits stage right}
Farage (does not sit down — hums a few bars of “Yankee Doodle,” rocks lightly on heels)
(Office door opens, May appears, wearing her Bavarian barmaid dress — even though it is casual Friday, she must dress up a bit for that day’s appearance at Parliament, you know)
May (coolly): I only agreed to give you five, FIVE, minutes of my time because your friend John to whom I now owe only four favours asked me to. What do you want?
Farage: As the Ambassador for the United States of Am–
May (jaw drops, eyes narrow, face reddens with anger — BUT, she remains calm, she is, after all, British): — Am —
Farage: — bassador.
May: Over my — {pulls up short as a vision of “U.S. — British Relations Hail Next Ice Age” on the front page of the Telegraph appears — stretches corners of mouth with great effort and offers a not-completely-impolite handshake} — OverJOYED — my — dear — Farage. Do come in.
{Inside May’s personal office — mousy assistant sitting wide-eyed at her PC, pretending taking notes, actually IM-ing for back-up from Boris who will before too long stomp in}
{May and Farage do not sit down}
May: I thought I gave you a special appointment as Inspector of the Records for Northern Canada. That was just 3 days ago.
Farage: Ah, well, (smiling) President Trump had other plans for me, you see.
May: You can’t be a U.S. Ambassador — you aren’t a U.S. citizen!
Farage: I am.
May: Impossible — it takes YEARS.
Farage: Months, in my case.
May: But, you were standing in Tuppenham Square bellowing your usual rot about Brexit and rah, rah, United Kingdom that…. I remember it exactly, “the United Kingdom IS and WILL BE great once again!” You did a little jig while whistling, “Rule Britannia!” What kind of a patriot gives up his citizenship?
Farage: One who loves his country so much he would do such a thing: to help her LIVE.
May: LIVE?!?! Why (sputtering), the United Kingdom is LEADING the WORLD!
{ENTER Boris Johnson — tie askew, ill-fitting suit, wiping tartar sauce from face with back of hand}
Boris: THAT’S CORRECT, MISTER BENEDICT ARNOLD, er, I mean, uh, you, YOU BOB HOPE! Britain is leading the world in, in fighting climate change!
Farage: I would have thought you’d have said, “in taking a stand for free markets.” Fighting “climate change” is complete BUNK, making one a leader of exactly: BUNK.
Boris: Oh, now, Nigel (wags finger vigorously at him — May wipes bit of fish off her face), millions of pounds invested in WIND is hardly “bunk.”
Farage: And just whose money was “invested?”
Boris: Others’.
……. and so on, and so on
#(:))
Heh. My messing up the close-bold tag at the end worked out okay, lol — got to yelling at each other at the end. 🙂
I had hoped Kellyanne Conway would take Trump’s Twitter account away from him; somebody needs to. Maybe Trump could appoint an official Administration Twit, whose job it would be to tweet for the President.
Conducting diplomacy by Twitter is almost as dumb as hiring Kanye West as your PR director.
“Conducting diplomacy by Twitter is almost as dumb as…”
Why?! Seems well suited in certain aspects. GK
Someone please tell me where the tweet says Trump is going to invade England if Farage is not made ambassador? It’s a comment not a request or demand .
Conventional wisdom is that ambassadors are appointed by the country they represent, not the country to which they are being posted.
They need to have the confidence of their home government to act in accordance with the policies set by their home government.
It is utterly evident that Farage could not be relied upon to act as instructed – the UK does not need a loose cannon in the US. This is nothing more than simple mischief making on the part of Trump as I am sure he knows.
“It is utterly evident that Farage could not be relied upon to act as instructed”
Is it?
Why?
He’s not a member of “The Club”.
How do you say DELICIOUS in British?
BREXIT VICI
Trump softens position on climate change,
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump softened his stance on Tuesday on whether humans have played a role in causing climate change, according to New York Times reporters who attended an interview with the Republican.
Trump has previously described global warming as a hoax and earlier this month one of his aides told Reuters that the New York businessman was seeking quick ways to withdraw the United States from the 2015 Paris accord to combat climate change.
On Tuesday, Trump told the Times he thinks there is “some connectivity” between human activity and climate change, reporter Mike Grynbaum tweeted. “It depends on how much,” the reporter quoted Trump as saying.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-trump-idUKKBN13H1NT?il=0
“U.S. President-elect Donald Trump softened his stance on Tuesday on whether humans have played a role in causing climate change, according to New York Times reporters who attended an interview with the Republican.”
“According to New York Times reporters”. That should set alarm bells off in your brain. Don’t believe anything New York Times reporters tell you about Donald Trump. You know they are going to deliberately misinterpret anything Trump says.
The author is a “green” advocate and Washington DC
stringer for myriad mainstream media outlets, but now
principally via media leviathan, Thomson Reuters.
See her c.v., at the appropriately named…. “Muckrack”
read all her previous made up stories (a waste of time),
where she spent months attacking Trump and promoting
Clinton, with what I believe to be deliberately fake stories.
https://muckrack.com/roberta-rampton
Then there’s “Fake News” exposed by Wikileaks …
http://www.ronpaullibertyreport.com/uploads/2/7/6/1/27619303/journalists-wiki-tw.jpg
Trump can always send Farage to the UK as a US ambassador 😉
Provided, of course, the Senate would confirm him.
I don’t believe Senate confirmation is needed for ambassadors.
Yes they are: http://mail.ificlaims.com:2095/
U.S. Constitution Article II Section 2.
[…] and he [the President] shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors […]
Eric,
‘Trump: Climate Skeptic Nigel Farage “would do a great job” as UK Ambassador’
Climate skeptic? . . Why not just call him an idiot?
Non-starter. The UK does not make political appointments to the diplomatic service. Ambassadors are career diplomats who spend their time keeping out of the limelight as much as possible. The best way to stall your career is to become a public figure and this used to be followed by moving into politics as the only thing left for a failed diplomat!
“Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into Nigel”
British ministers blame Theresa May over ‘terrible handling’ of Donald Trump’s election victory
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/22/theresa-mays-ministers-defy-terrible-handling-donald-trumps/
Good link – an utter mess of their own making.
Republican lead singer: “It’s getting better all the time…”
Democrat background singer: “Can’t get much worse”…
It’s getting * so much * better * all the time!
About two years ago many of the people writing comments in this excellent blog were certain that the science had pretty well gotten to the point were the climate alarmists were toast. I expressed the opinion that the politics was what really counted and that they should get ready for a major political offensive…that the science was not the determining factor anymore.
Not long after that, Obama decided it was time to push this thing. Next thing you know it had its tentacles into the State Department, the DOD, and pretty much everywhere. We were getting ready to get clobbered.
Then came The Donald. Bless his little heart. The tide of battle is going in our favor again (for the time being). Let’s hope it lasts!
Nevertheless, PM Theresa May campaigned to remain in the European Union, and the argument you make cuts both ways. The majority of voters who voted for Brexit need to have confidence that the home government can be trusted to act in accordance with the referendum.
And leaving the European Union was clearly a vote to leave the single market and negotiate trade deals with the rest of the world. I think it is a decent request from a potential major trading partner, and something PM May can easily accommodate in order to show good faith to voters, whose economy is exiting that insular, failing little European paid membership club very soon.
I realize it is probable Ms May just wants to repackage globalist policies and trade deals to make them seem nicer to those who are most damaged by them. In the meantime Nigel Farage would make a fine ambassador to the US.
I can see why you like Trump. You’re as fond of making things up as he is.