Donald Trump’s chief strategist will call Nigel Farage before speaking to Theresa May about policy, say Ukip leader’s aide
Steve Bannon will ‘run ideas’ past him claimed Aaron Banks – but Mr Farage rubbished the idea as ‘nonsense’
DONALD Trump's chief strategist will contact Nigel Farage on policy proposals before calling Theresa May, an aide to the Ukip leader has claimed.
Steve Bannon will "run ideas" past the leading Brexiteer, who has a close relationship with the President-elect having visited him in New York at the weekend.
But Mr Farage has rubbished the report in the , saying it was nonsense that the Trump administration would speak to him ahead of the Prime Minister.
Mr Banks, who was with the interim Ukip boss as they met with Mr Bannon and his boss at Trump Tower on Saturday, said the president-elect and Mr Farage were old friends who spoke or texted each other “every day – they are best mates”.
Meanwhile Mrs May was snubbed in becoming only the 10th world leader the real estate mogul phoned after his victory over Hillary Clinton.
Mr Banks, who has donated millions to Ukip, said: “There is no doubt about it that Steve Bannon will talk to Nigel Farage before any other British politician and run stuff by him.”
Speaking about their meeting with Mr Trump he said: “When he opened the door it was like, ‘Come on in Nigel’.
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“We just sat there chatting for an hour and we ended the meeting. They are as close as two people can be in politics.”
Downing Street has rebuffed his offers of help as Mr Farage has been seen as an intermediate between the US and the UK, saying he will not be the “third person” in Anglo-American relations.
But Mr Banks said the closeness of their friendship was “not going to go away”, because “Nigel has a hotline to the president and the president’s chief adviser”.
Mr Banks said: “These people have no idea how close their relationship is – it really is close.”
Critics in Number 10 were “stumped because whatever they say or do, you can’t undo a relationship with Steve Bannon that goes back years”, he said.
But Mr Farage has dismissed the claims Mr Bannon will call him first, calling today's report “complete nonsense”.
It came as he pleaded with Mrs May again to ask for his help in building relations with Mr Trump, although he said he would turn down an offer of an official role.
He trumpeted his “connections” to the President-elect and his top team, saying he could “smooth the path”.
Speaking on good Morning Britain he said Number 10 could say to him “look, can you help us?”, to which “the answer is a big yes”, he added.