New US Ambassador Peter Mandelson set to try enlist Nigel Farage to help him charm Donald Trump and Elon Musk
PETER Mandelson is expected to try to enlist Nigel Farage to help his charm offensive on Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
The Labour grandee has been made Britain’s new ambassador to the US.
And he is on a mission to prevent Britain being clobbered by crippling tariffs.
But it risks being derailed by X owner Musk — who loathes Sir Keir Starmer and his government.
Lord Mandelson has called on No 10 to “swallow its pride” and use Mr Farage as “a bridge to Mr Musk” and Mr Trump.
Reform Party boss Mr Farage is friends with both men and travelled to the US for talks with Mr Musk last week.
Speaking on his Times podcast last month, Mandy said: “If I were the Government here, I’d be asking the embassy in Washington DC to find out who his [Musk’s] other British friends are.
“Who are they all? They have got to be used as a bridge to Musk. And so that’s what I would do.
“Swallow your pride, find out who his friends are and try to get into those networks. You cannot just continue this feud indefinitely. You’ve got to get over it.”
He added: “I would include Nigel Farage. You can’t ignore him. He’s an elected MP.”
Mandy made the comments in November — when he was hot favourite to be US ambassador.
But he could face a hostile reception after he called Mr Trump a “white supremacist” in 2019.
The resurfaced comments sparked fury in the US — with Mr Trump’s campaign chief Chris LaCivita branding Mandy a “moron”.