Jacob Rees-Mogg met with Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon to discuss how the conservative movement can be victorious in elections in the UK, it has been reported.
The meeting took place at a Mayfair hotel and Mr Rees-Mogg described Mr Bannon as “an interesting man to have met”, it is said.
It is thought they spoke about US and UK politics and the former senior adviser to the President also met with former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.
Mr Bannon, who is a self-described economic nationalist and populist, was believed to be Donald Trump’s right-hand man before he was forced out of the White House in August.
He returned to work for the far-right news organisation Breitbart and his meetings in the UK were organised by Raheem Kassam, the editor of Breitbart London.
“Brexit and the election of President Trump were inextricably linked, so the discussions focused on how we move forward with winning for the conservative movements on both sides of the pond,” Mr Kassam told the Guardian.
“How you build movements, on the ground and digitally, and what Steve’s brand of economic nationalism – which puts the interests of ordinary people first – can do in the US and United Kingdom.”
Mr Rees-Mogg had previously expressed his support for Mr Trump before backtracking during the presidential election.
“I obviously do not have a vote and believe it is important for the UK to be polite about all US presidential candidates as it is the most important foreign relationship for us. However, I could not personally vote for either candidate so would have to abstain,” he said at the time.
