Britain's ambassador to the US has attempted to mend fences with Donald Trump after the President-elect backed Nigel Farage for the job.

Sir Kim Darroch has praised Mr Trump's "historic and impressive win", just weeks after dismissing him as "an outsider and an unknown quantity".

He has even suggested the relationship between Mr Trump and Theresa May could be as strong as that of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.

The ambassador's original comment, in a leaked memo to the Prime Minister written on the day after the US election, prompted Mr Trump to champion Mr Farage to replace Sir Kim.

Image: Sir Kim Darroch pictured with former prime minister David Cameron

"Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States," Mr Trump tweeted. "He would do a great job!"


Despite a public campaign for the job by the former UKIP leader, including three visits to New York to see Mr Trump, Downing Street has insisted there is no vacancy.

In an interview with Adam Boulton on Sky News after Mr Trump's tweet, Mr Farage rounded on the Government for rejecting suggestions he could help cement US/UK relations.

And he called for Sir Kim to resign as ambassador because he is a "fanatical Europhile and part of the old regime" whose views would be "diametrically opposed to Trump's".

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Now, in an article for the Washington Post newspaper, Sir Kim has adopted a more flattering tone towards the President-elect and said America and Britain must move forward together.

He wrote: "2016 has been a seismic year for both American and British politics. Donald Trump has captured the presidency in a historic and impressive win like no other in history.

"Brexit and the election of President-elect Trump captured the mood and will of the electorate. Now is the time move forward together and embrace the opportunities ahead.

"In their phone calls so far, Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May have made clear that the special relationship between Britain and the United States is stronger than ever.

"They will work together closely, building on the legacy of previous leaders such as President Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher."

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In his 9 November memo, leaked to The Sunday Times, Sir Kim told Mrs May that "Trump did the apparently impossible" in winning the White House.

And he said: "It bears repeating that this soon to be President-elect is above all an outsider and an unknown quantity, whose campaign pronouncements may reveal his instincts, but will surely evolve and, particularly, be open to outside influence if pitched right."

Now, in his Washington Post article, he continued: "The United States and Britain will continue to work ever more closely to provide security to each other. As partners who share intelligence and technology, we do more together than any other two countries in the world."

He added: "As we look ahead, it's worth recalling the words quoted by both Reagan and Thatcher: 'You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.' For decades, our partnership has been the cornerstone of the world order. So we, as an alliance, will continue to be strong."