Nigel Farage should be "respected and not abused" a former Conservative cabinet minister has said, after pointing out that he won four million votes at the last general election.

Michael Gove praised the Ukip leader after Number 10's decision to ignore Mr Farage's calls to allow him form a relationship with the incoming President-elect Donald Trump.

Mr Trump caused a political storm earlier this week when he said on Twitter that “many people” would like to see Mr Farage as UK ambassador to the US and said he would do a “great job”.