Farage says it will be 'foolish' to align more closely with EU
Nigel Farage revealed the advice he has given to Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid his fears that the government's plot to seek closer ties with the European Union would be detrimental to the UK's relationship with the US.
The Reform UK leader - who recently met with President-elect Donald Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and Elon Musk at Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago - said on Tuesday's GB News: "The point I’ve made to Starmer and to others is because of the tariff battle that is coming, and we know that Trump uses tariff to try and gain all sorts of other concessions and he is very good at this, we are potentially going to get caught in the cross hairs.
“Aligning more closely with the European Union is, in my view, a foolish economic thing to do."
Mr Farage then revealed that he told the Prime Minister he would help the government with contacts, provided it was in the national interest.
He continued: “All I’ve said is I would help this government with contacts, not just Trump and JD Vance. If it is in the national interest to do it, I will do it, no questions.
“I don’t support Keir Starmer’s government, but I do support us having good trade links with America, and I do believe that without America, we are frankly defenceless as a nation. This relationship matters.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Farage described his hour-long meeting with Elon Musk at Mar-a-Lago as "great" and "historic".
He said he and party treasurer Nick Candy had "learned a great deal about the Trump ground game" and that the men would have "ongoing discussions on other areas".
Mr Farage added: "We only have one more chance left to save the West and we can do great things together."
The meeting follows reports, dismissed by Mr Farage, that X owner Mr Musk was preparing to donate up to $100 million (£79 million) to Reform UK.
He has repeatedly insisted he knows nothing about a potential contribution to Reform from Mr Musk, but said the party would take the money if it were offered.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said it was a "matter for the rules" when asked if a potential large donation by Mr Musk to a UK party would worry Sir Keir Starmer.
He added: "There are already existing rules on foreign donations, but the Government has committed to, you know, to strengthening the rules."
Mr Musk is reported to have spent more than $250 million (£197 million) to support Mr Trump's re-election campaign, focused on increasing turnout in key states.
He has since been named as one of the two heads of a new cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency in the incoming Trump administration.
