Nigel Farage captivates Donald Trump with tales of almost winning South Thanet

Nigel Farage and Donald Trump have been comparing election campaign stories at their recent meeting with the interim Ukip leader regaling the president-elect with tales of the time he almost won Thanet South in the general election.

“It’s fair to say that we both have some fascinating stories to tell about our respective campaigns to be elected by the people,” Farage told reporters following the meeting in New York.

“Donald told me about the last few days of his campaign, crisscrossing the country in his private jet.

“One day you’re in North Carolina, the next it’s Florida, the day after that its California.

“I can identify with that from my 2015 campaign. One day you’re in Ramsgate, the next day it’s Broadstairs and the next it could be Sandwich. On some days I must have been in at least 6 or 7 pubs.

“We have a lot in common, apart from the fact that he beat a former First Lady to take the most powerful job in the world, whereas I finished runner-up to a former accountant and then resigned as leader of a party which only has one MP.”

Mr Farage also confirmed that President-elect Trump was very positive about returning a bust of Winston Churchill to the Oval Office after it was removed by President Obama.

“I didn’t realise he was talking about Winston Churchill,” said Mr Trump after being quizzed by reporters.

“When he said he was looking forward to seeing the bust in the Oval office I assumed he was talking about Melania.”