Martel said:Darlan met with General Clark before the invasion (where they were both nearly arrested by French police!). FDR had offered medical help to Darlan's son who was also a polio sufferer. Darlan had been in contact with the Americans for some time before the invasion and was not accdientally in North Africa. Both the Americans and Darlan hoped to undercut British and Gaullist influence by providing an alternative. Darlan was a bad choice and of course Churchill more or less encouraged the Resistance to kill him.
Darlan did have contacts with US generals, and also with Admiral Leahy, the short-sighted US ambassador in Vichy. But my sources still say he still gave instructions to fight stubbornly in the first days of Torch. He had to be neutralized so a cease-fire could be agreed upon, after which he realized it was best to turn coats. What are your sources to say he was actually involved in the planning of Torch?
Darlan's assassination was plotted by the Count of Paris, who had met de Gaulle a couple of weeks beforehand. Some say de Gaulle let the Count dream of a new Restoration, to motivate him to help him against his opponents... Not sure if Churchill had anything to do with this. Curious to know your source as well.