Nigel Farage is an 'irrelevance' and will not be used to build links with Donald Trump, Downing Street clarifies

Downing Street has rejected the idea that ministers may use Nigel Farage’s links to Donald Trump to build bridges with the next US President.

Sources close to the Prime Minister suggested Ukip’s interim leader, who appeared on the campaign trail with President-elect Trump, is an “irrelevance” to proceedings.

The Independent reported earlier this week that Mr Farage will likely become the first British politician to meet Mr Trump when he visits the US at the weekend.

Theresa May spoke to the President-elect on the phone yesterday, but only after claims that the UK had not been high on the new US leader’s list of nations to call.

It was reported in the Daily Telegraph that International Trade Secretary Liam Fox intends to speak to Mr Farage before attempting talks with the President-elect’s advisers, but the minister’s spokesman said he had “no plans” to speak to the Ukip chief first.

Ukip insiders said Mr Farage would travel to Florida to give a speech this weekend and then on to New York.

While a meeting with Mr Trump was not set in stone, Mr Farage will be seeing senior figures in his team and is likely to meet the President-elect.

In August, Mr Farage was invited to attend a Trump rally in Jackson, Mississippi, and was invited on stage to address the crowd.

Mr Trump and the Prime Minister had a telephone conversation at 1.45pm, Downing Street said, focusing on the UK-US “special relationship” and on strengthening bilateral trade.

But it came after news that Mr Trump had already spoken with at least nine other world leaders, including Egypt, Ireland, Mexico, Israel, Turkey, India, Japan, Australia and South Korea, before speaking with Ms May.