Donald Trump picks Apprentice producer to be special envoy to UK

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Announcing the envoy role, Mr Trump said: “It is my great honour to appoint Mark Burnett as the special envoy to the United Kingdom. “Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges.” In October 2016, Mr Burnett and his wife, actor Roma Downey, distanced themselves from Mr Trump, criticising the “hatred, division and misogyny that has been a very unfortunate part of his campaign”. open image in gallery Burnett with his wife Roma Downey The former cabinet minister and European Union trade tsar said, “it is a great honour to serve the country in this way”. However, the Labour grandee’s past remarks about Mr Trump – who he once described as “little short of a white nationalist and racist” – may yet plague attempts to foster close US-UK relations.