Nigel Farage was proclaimed “the next prime minister of Great Britain” at a huge party overlooking the White House to celebrate the upcoming inauguration of his friend and ally Donald Trump.
The Stars and Stripes Union Jack reception on the rooftop of the Hay Adams hotel on Friday night became a gathering of the glitterati of the US and UK political right, with Maga Republicans rubbing shoulders with Reform UK, senior Conservatives, and Brexiteers.
Organised by the so-called “bad boys of Brexit” Andy Wigmore and Arron Banks, who had initially been blocked from entering the US, along with leading Washington fixer Gerry Gunster, the party became a celebration of Farage (the guest of honour) and his eight years of friendship with Mr Trump.
The victory of the incoming president against what many in the room saw as staggering odds was taken as a sign of what could happen in the UK and Europe.
Mr Gunster opened the speeches, proclaiming: “I hope when we are next gathered it is not in eight years but to celebrate Nigel Farage becoming the prime minister of Great Britain.” To cheers he suggested that Mr Farage – one of the five Reform MPs – “could put the great back in Britain again”.
Former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant recounted the story of how he had first introduced Mr Trump and Mr Farage when he persuaded “Mr Brexit” to go on stage at a rally in August 2016.
Mr Farage told the crowd that day that he “wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me”, and Mr Bryant claimed that this was “the turning point” that led to Mr Trump entering the White House the first time round.
The Reform UK leader likened his own situation – as leader of an “insurgent” party “led by a political maverick” – to that of Mr Trump.
“I actually do believe that we will win the next general election,” he said. “I do believe I can become the next prime minister. I hope we do so quickly while Trump is still in office.”
For that to happen, the Starmer government would need to collapse before 2028, and well before the current prime minister’s five years in office have to come to an end in 2029.
The party began in traditional fashion, with British Serbian opera singer Nevena Bridgen – former wife of the disgraced ex-Tory MP Andrew Bridgen – wowing the crowd with her renditions of the British and US national anthems.
Big names from the right of politics came to hobnob about what Monday’s inauguration will mean and plot a right-wing populist future for the West.
At one point, Mr Trump’s old rightwing ally Steve Bannon arrived, holding court on the balcony overlooking the White House. Not far away was Mr Farage’s ex-aide turned right-wing DC influencer, media guru and restauranteur Raheem Kassam.
Former prime minister Liz Truss was also in attendance, glass in hand, telling fellow partygoers that Mr Trump “will save Western civilisation”. Ms Truss was accompanied by Michael Pack, a right-wing documentarian who has been promoting his film about Ms Truss’s short-lived tenure at No 10.
Mr Farage was joined by a cohort of senior Reform members, including chair Zia Yusuf and fundraiser-in-chief Nick Candy.
All the time GB News’ Bev Turner champagne glass in one hand, microphone in the other toured the floor with her camera crew grabbing individuals for talking head interviews, ensuring that this was a political event for the channel’s star presenter.
Labour’s former Europe minister turned hardline Brexiteer Kate Hoey was one of the Northern Irish unionist contingent, which included Ian Paisley Jr, a longtime friend of the Trump family, acting as the announcements man.
While Mr Trump and his family were not flying up to DC until the weekend, a large number of his transition team and future and potential nominees, including Kristi Noem, Zachary Freeman, Peggy Grande and Sebastian Gorka were present.
Proponents of the much-criticised policy document known by the title Project 2025 were present at the party, with figures from the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation in attendance, including international trade expert Andy Hale and the director of the Margaret Thatcher Center, Nile Gardiner.
It is uncertain whether Boris Johnson was invited, but he was not due to fly in until Sunday. However, his former right-hand man in parliament, Nigel Adams, was one of a number of Tories present.
Another ex-Tory MP, Tobias Ellwood, was less popular, suggesting to fellow partygoers that the UK would be right to hand over the Chagos islands.
Others present included Matthew Elliot, who founded Vote Leave and was once part of the decision to exclude Mr Farage from the main Brexit campaign. He was with his wife Sarah Elliott, former chair of Republicans Abroad and now head of the US unit at the Legatum Institute in London.
More significantly, Elon Musk sent a close associate to represent him at the party, in what was seen as a warming of relations with Reform and Mr Farage after their Tommy Robinson spat earlier this month.
One invitee not present was Sir Keir Starmer’s nominee for UK ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, whose nomination has not been welcomed by the Trump team.
As one insider said: “His absence was noted. Possibly a missed opportunity to make some friends.” However, the current British ambassador Dame Karen Pierce, whom many in the Trump camp would like to see stay on, was in attendance.
A Foreign Office source told The Independent that the incoming ambassador’s absence was a result of the British embassy only having “one ambassador at a time”.
But as well as the US and UK representatives, there was an eclectic crowd of others, including a French lawyer who is currently suing EU commissioner Ursula von der Leyen.
It was a booze-filled night of joy for right-wingers, and a night for dreamers. They will be hoping that the Saturday morning hangovers are not a truer reflection of the real effects of the Trump administration.
