Downing Street rejects Trump's call for Farage to be US ambassador

Downing Street has rejected calls, including from president-elect Donald Trump, for former Ukip leader Nigel Farage to become the British ambassador to the United States.

Trump tweeted support for the appointment overnight, saying "He would do a great job!”

But the call has gone unheeded, with current ambassador Sir Kim Darroch only appointed to the post in January 2016.

A government spokesperson on Tuesday said: “There is no vacancy. We already have an excellent ambassador to the US.”

Writing on Breitbart, the 'alt-right' news website, Farage said that he could “scarcely believe” Trump had tweeted his endorsement.

“Though speaking to a couple of his longtime friends perhaps I am a little less surprised. They all say the same thing: that Trump is a very loyal man and supports those that stand by him.”

Farage was the first British politician to meet the billionaire property tycoon after his election victory and had briefly helped campaign for him in Mississippi.

A leading figure in the Brexit campaign, Farage said with Trump as the incoming president there was a “real opportunity” to improve trade between Britain and the US.

Downing Street had previously said Farge would not become a “third person” in the relationship between Tump and Prime Minister Theresa May.

Brexit Secretary David Davis, told the BBC on Tuesday "People can say what they like. The simple truth is there's no vacancy. This is an ambassador who is very, very good, as we've seen already, and he will be there for years."

“We are believers in free speech in Britain, but we've got a very good ambassador in Washington, Kim Darroch, and he's going to be there for some years.”

According to bookmaker Ladbrokes Farage has a 20/1 shot of becoming ambassador.

Ladbrokes’ Jessica Bridge said: “Stranger things have happened this year, but it's hard to see Number 10 allowing such a move for Farage."