Trump: Farage would do a great job as UK ambassador to US

Donald Trump has ruffled diplomatic feathers by tweeting his support for Nigel Farage to become Britain's top diplomat in the US.

In response, the interim Ukip leader said the suggestion had come as a "bolt from the blue", but added he was prepared to help the UK in any way

"By any measure this is an extraordinary intervention," writes Jon Sopel, the BBC's North America editor, adding that it breaches almost every rule of diplomatic protocol and "puts tension in the Trump/Theresa May relationship before they have even met".

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Trump's tweet is "guaranteed to raise eyebrows in the UK", says the Daily Telegraph. The paper argues that Farage, who sees Trump as a "kindred spirit", is "hampering the lines of communication between the UK and the incoming president".

In addition, it is felt that the future president has undermined the position of Sir Kim Darroch, the current UK ambassador to the US, who has been in the job since February.

Darroch hit the headlines last week when, in a memo leaked to the Sunday Times, he claimed the UK was best placed of any nation to steer Trump's foreign policy and encourage his more extreme ideas to "evolve".

The memo described the incoming president as "open to outside influence" from Britain if the Prime Minister were to launch a diplomatic offensive to win him over.

The Sunday Times report also quoted Whitehall sources as saying that ministers, generals and intelligence chiefs were drawing up plans to influence Trump on issues such as Nato, Iran, Russia and immigration "in an effort to help the UK exploit his victory and curb his more extreme views".