UK election: Donald Trump congratulates Nigel Farage, ignores new PM Keir Starmer
- The leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party is a long-time ally of the ex-US president, who once dubbed him ‘Mr Brexit’
Former US president Donald Trump celebrated the election of fellow populist Nigel Farage to Britain’s parliament on Friday, neglecting to mention the new prime minister, Keir Starmer.
Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party won the third largest vote haul, but under Britain’s electoral system it took just five seats while Starmer’s Labour Party swept into office with a landslide.
“Congratulations to Nigel Farage on his big WIN of a Parliament Seat Amid Reform UK Election Success. Nigel is a man who truly loves his Country!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Farage is a long-standing ally of Trump, who has dubbed the divorced father of four “Mr Brexit” and previously said the British populist would have done a “great job” as the UK’s ambassador to Washington.
US President Joe Biden called Starmer on Friday to congratulate him, the White House said.
Farage is a champion of Brexit who was elected to parliament on his eighth attempt and has made no secret of his desire to take over the now-main opposition Conservative Party, which was trounced at the polls by Labour.
