Donald Trump will win the US presidential election, Nigel Farage has claimed as his Reform UK party sought to play up its links with the Republican candidate.
The Reform leader had words of warning for Foreign Secretary David Lammy – who once described former president Mr Trump as a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath” – about a potential second Trump presidency.
He also claimed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris had a “history of being part of the radical left”, and sought to draw a comparison with Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
The Clacton MP was due to join Mr Trump’s campaign over the summer, before announcing his intention to stand for Parliament and take over the leadership of Reform.
Speaking to reporters at the Reform conference following his stump speech, Mr Farage said: “The fact that we have a Labour Government with a big majority who are going to be there for a few years, the fact that the Foreign Secretary has said some pretty unpleasant things about Donald Trump, if Trump wins, that doesn’t put us in a great place.”
Mr Farage claimed he had spoken to Team Trump in a bid to smooth over any perceived tensions, insisting it was “in the national interest of both of us that that’s forgotten”.
He added it was a “positive” that the door had since been opened to Mr Lammy.
Mr Farage went on: “The question is, is Trump going to win? I still think he is. But the thought that it is going to be down to a few tens of thousands of the votes in a handful of states in a country of that population is pretty remarkable.”
Asked about the Democratic nominee for the US presidency, the Reform UK leader told reporters: “She (vice president Ms Harris) does have a history of being part of the radical left, and I guess that’s probably how she would govern.
“Even Keir Starmer is governing to the left of how he campaigned in the general election.”
Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice had earlier claimed his boss’s relationship with Mr Trump is “to the benefit of this country”, in a bid to demonstrate the party’s international reach.
Asked if he thought the party leader was distracted from his constituency duties by his trips to the US, Mr Tice told the PA news agency: “Far from it.
“But as a leader of a party that is now becoming mainstream, international affairs, our relationship with our most important, strategic international partner – the US – is very important and the world will be a safer place if Donald Trump wins the presidential election.
“Nigel’s strong relationship with Donald Trump is actually to the benefit of this country and it’s quite right that he cements and strengthens that.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel