Ministers are using middle men and mobile phones to circumvent an alleged ban by Theresa May on contacting Nigel Farage to try build relations with US president-elect Donald Trump.

The news came after Mr Farage, the former leader of the UK Independence Party claimed Cabinet ministers had been banned from talking to him by the Prime Minister.

There is speculation that Mr Farage will be made a trade adviser to Mr Trump, forcing ministers to deal with the Ukip MEP over UK/US trade talks.

Last week Mr Farage was photographed going into Mr Trump’s offices in New York for what would have been their third meeting in four weeks.

This has forced some ministers to create their own back channels to make contact with Mr Farage, and so – they hope – the team around Mr Trump.

The Daily Telegraph has been told of one middle man who told Mr Farage’s camp they were a back channel connection for a Cabinet minister to reach Mr Farage.