Our newest ambassador in the US,,

[ikarl]

BlackLabel said:

The current ambassador has only held the post since January and a change of POTUS doesn't mean a change in ambassador. It's bad form to talk about his job in such a way.

Oh noes, it's bad form

I reckon he would agree that the needs of the country come before the job, if not, IMO he's not the right person for the job.

[StottyEvo]

Dindoit said:

A foreign person trying to meddle in British politics? Farage must be furious, just like he was when "that Obama creature" made the pre-Brexit speeches.

Can we demand to get Hillary as their UK ambassador?

In the interest of fairness here, discussing the British ambassador to America is as much to do with American politics as British. Brexit does not, it was a very British decision to make. I feel there is a clear distinction that you're ignoring.

[alfie2244]

Dindoit said:

A foreign person trying to meddle in British politics? Farage must be furious, just like he was when "that Obama creature" made the pre-Brexit speeches.

Can we demand to get Hillary as their UK ambassador?

Not meddling.......putting us down........there is a difference.

Go make a fool of yourself if you wish and demand Hilary get an EU job.

[FredClogs]

alfie2244 said:

FredClogs said:

Farage now adopting the alt-right stance of claiming victim status... Everyone hates me, the establishment has rejected me - ergo I must be right and they just can't handle my truth... QED innit...

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38064664

I think this is nearer the truth:

"It is career politics at its worst and it is now getting in the way of the national interest."

There is absolutely no national interest in drafting Farage into the diplomatic service, it's frankly a ridiculous idea, further more there is absolutely no national interest in sidling and sucking up to Trump - at least not at this point in time. The best national interest would be served by taking a cool and level headed pragmatic stance on Trump and doing good and proper diplomacy.

Things could still go very wrong, very quickly for Trump.

[anonymous-user]

It's a bit of a cheek to be pimping yourself out to Trump when you technically have a full time job as an MEP. It would be nice to think he would stand down from his role as an MEP if he got a position with Trump though I doubt he's been in Strasbourg much over the past 12 months (but still picked the salary).

[Digga]

pablo said:

It's a bit of a cheek to be pimping yourself out to Trump when you technically have a full time job as an MEP. It would be nice to think he would stand down from his role as an MEP if he got a position with Trump though I doubt he's been in Strasbourg much over the past 12 months (but still picked the salary).

Come one! Using the phrases MEP and full time job in the same sentence is oxymoronic at best.

[minimoog]

alfie2244 said:

Honest question..what if Trump refuses to deal with him?

I realise there are long established norms and protocols in these things but we are seeing serious changes in "the way things are done" and IMO the sooner this is recognised by some the better.

I suppose it depends on whether the UK wants to be Trump's lickspittle or not.

[alfie2244]

FredClogs said:

alfie2244 said:

FredClogs said:

Farage now adopting the alt-right stance of claiming victim status... Everyone hates me, the establishment has rejected me - ergo I must be right and they just can't handle my truth... QED innit...

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38064664

I think this is nearer the truth:

"It is career politics at its worst and it is now getting in the way of the national interest."

There is absolutely no national interest in drafting Farage into the diplomatic service, it's frankly a ridiculous idea, further more there is absolutely no national interest in sidling and sucking up to Trump - at least not at this point in time. The best national interest would be served by taking a cool and level headed pragmatic stance on Trump and doing good and proper diplomacy.

Things could still go very wrong, very quickly for Trump.

Given some of the abuse he received I would imagine there are many politicians / diplomats hoping things do go wrong for Trump.

Good and proper diplomacy i.e. we have always done things this way, the old boys network, is exactly why we have had a Brexit vote and Trump will soon be in the White House....time to do things differently IMO but for what it is worth I think the main thrust of Farage's efforts should be directed at the EU for the time being.

[alfie2244]

minimoog said:

alfie2244 said:

Honest question..what if Trump refuses to deal with him?

I realise there are long established norms and protocols in these things but we are seeing serious changes in "the way things are done" and IMO the sooner this is recognised by some the better.

I suppose it depends on whether the UK wants to be Trump's lickspittle or not.

As against the EU, Merkel and the drunk Juncker et al?

[Dindoit]

StottyEvo said:

Dindoit said:

A foreign person trying to meddle in British politics? Farage must be furious, just like he was when "that Obama creature" made the pre-Brexit speeches.

Can we demand to get Hillary as their UK ambassador?

In the interest of fairness here, discussing the British ambassador to America is as much to do with American politics as British. Brexit does not, it was a very British decision to make. I feel there is a clear distinction that you're ignoring.

The clear point you're ignoring is we already have a British ambassador to America, Kim Darroch. Trump suggesting he should be sacked and replaced is absolutely meddling in British politics.

America has absolutely no say in who our ambassador is. None. Zilch. It's entirely nothing to do with them. It is, to use your term, a very British decision to make.

Imagine the reaction here if Obama had suggested Diane Abbott was given the appointment.

[anonymous-user]

Digga said:

pablo said:

It's a bit of a cheek to be pimping yourself out to Trump when you technically have a full time job as an MEP. It would be nice to think he would stand down from his role as an MEP if he got a position with Trump though I doubt he's been in Strasbourg much over the past 12 months (but still picked the salary).

Come one! Using the phrases MEP and full time job in the same sentence is oxymoronic at best.

I know but the Faragista think he's doing a good job...

[ralphrj]

alfie2244 said:

Honest question..what if Trump refuses to deal with him?

The President would not usually deal with the Ambassador of a country. That would be the job of the Secretary of State. However, if you assume that whoever Trump appoints to the Secretary of State position then refuses to deal with the Ambassador then the 'correct' course of action would be to expel the Ambassador under article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Rights by declaring them persona non grata. This is not as severe as breaking off diplomatic relations (where you are effectively saying "I don't recognise you as a country anymore") but it would set US-UK relations back about 120 years.

Expelling Ambassadors is not unheard of. For example, the US, UK and most of the Western world expelled Syrian Ambassadors in 2012 due to genocide in Syria. However, to expel the Ambassador of a friendly nation because you would rather a mate did the job would be completely unprecedented.

[Dindoit]

pablo said:

Digga said:

pablo said:

It's a bit of a cheek to be pimping yourself out to Trump when you technically have a full time job as an MEP. It would be nice to think he would stand down from his role as an MEP if he got a position with Trump though I doubt he's been in Strasbourg much over the past 12 months (but still picked the salary).

Come one! Using the phrases MEP and full time job in the same sentence is oxymoronic at best.

I know but the Faragista think he's doing a good job...

Now that's just unfair. He's ranked 744th out of 751 MEP for attendance so he's not the worst. OK, so he appears on QT more often than he goes to Brussels, but he's doing a great job.

[johnxjsc1985]

the Diplomats and the usual PC brigade will have to get used to the phrase" why can't I ?". Nervous breakdowns in the Civil Service . If a trade deal depended on Farage getting a post they would cut off our noses to spite their faces its going to be interesting to see how they deal with a man who is used to getting his own way under his own terms.

[alfie2244]

ralphrj said:

alfie2244 said:

Honest question..what if Trump refuses to deal with him?

The President would not usually deal with the Ambassador of a country. That would be the job of the Secretary of State. However, if you assume that whoever Trump appoints to the Secretary of State position then refuses to deal with the Ambassador then the 'correct' course of action would be to expel the Ambassador under article 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Rights by declaring them persona non grata. This is not as severe as breaking off diplomatic relations (where you are effectively saying "I don't recognise you as a country anymore") but it would set US-UK relations back about 120 years.

Expelling Ambassadors is not unheard of. For example, the US, UK and most of the Western world expelled Syrian Ambassadors in 2012 due to genocide in Syria. However, to expel the Ambassador of a friendly nation because you would rather a mate did the job would be completely unprecedented.

As I have stated elsewhere........things are a changing........yes the President would not usually deal with the Ambassador of a country...but with Trump who knows? he seems to do most of his work via twitter..perhaps "refuses to deal" was the wrong question........perhaps I should have said if he just takes no notice / ignores.

Trump was roundly abused by many UK politicos and I doubt he will miss many opportunities to put a few in their place.............I would

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Diplomats and politicians are different people, they have different skills.

I have no problem describing Farage as political but I couldn't call him diplomatic.

[alfie2244]

RedWhiteMonkey said:

Diplomats and politicians are different people, they have different skills.

I have no problem describing Farage as political but I couldn't call him diplomatic.

Nor would he describe himself as such either.

[Blue Cat]

Do we want an ambassador who works for the UK's long term interest or do we want an ambassador who is currently Trump's 'new best friend'

Strikes me as being a bit banana republic, asking for friends to be given jobs regardless of how skilled they are, I would also question what Farage has promised Trump in return for this request.

[ukkid35]

ralphrj said:

However, to expel the Ambassador of a friendly nation because you would rather a mate did the job would be completely unprecedented.

Unprecedented - Just like everything else that's happened recently.

While we're at it we could look forward to Mike Ashley as the Pensions Tsar, Nick Griffin heading up the CRE, Jimmy Carr advising the Taxpayers Alliance.

[esxste]

powerstroke said:

So after helping him with his path to the white house Mr Farrage is doing his bit for anglo american relations with a visit to see the President of the USA ,
If there was a person more deserving of a peerage I'd like to know !!! a true Great Britain Thank you Sir Nigel ....

Nigel Farage hasn't been granted a Knighthood, so should not be given the honorific of "Sir".

If he was made a Peer, you would be calling him Lord, not Sir.

Keep up the good fight for our traditions against the evil european empire though, heh.


Honestly, how can anyone not see that Farage is a self-serving weasel that's now crawled up Trumps arse. Who the hell does he think he is demanding to be the Queen's Ambassador to the United States? And doing it such a unedifying public manner.