Donald Trump’s campaign team complained to the Federal Election Commission, accusing the UK Labour Party of blatant foreign interference’ in the US election
Keir Starmer has dismissed a legal complaint by Donald Trump’s campaign that Labour is interfering in the US election to help his Kamala Harris.
The Republican candidate’s team complained to the Federal Election Commission, accusing the UK Labour Party of “blatant foreign interference” in the presidential race.
The complaint accused Labour of making “apparent illegal foreign national contributions” to Ms Harris’s campaign, citing reports that senior No10 staff held talks with Democratic strategists on their election success. It also pointed to calls for Labour activists to volunteer for Ms Harris’s campaign.
The Trump campaign said: “The far-left Labour Party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric. In recent weeks, they have recruited and sent party members to campaign for Kamala in critical battleground states, attempting to influence our election.”
But the Prime Minister batted away the complaint, saying it was a regular occurrence for party staff to volunteer in the US election.
He told reporters travelling with him to Samoa: “The Labour Party has volunteers, have gone over pretty much every election.
“They’re doing it in their spare time, they’re doing it as volunteers, they’re staying I think with other volunteers over there.
“That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, that’s what they’re doing in this election and that’s really straight forward.”
Asked if it risked jeopardising his relationship with Mr Trump if he wins, Mr Starmer said: “No. I spent time in New York with President Trump, had dinner with him and my purpose in doing that was to make sure that between the two of us we established a good relationship, which we did, and we’re grateful for him for making the time [to come from] Florida for that dinner.
“We had a good, constructive discussion and, of course as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom I will work with whoever the American people return as their President in their elections which are very close now.”
Mr Starmer and Mr Trump held their first face-to-face talks last month, when the PM was in New York for the UN General Assembly. The pair had a two-hour dinner at Trump Tower, the Republican candidate’s lavish Manhattan base.
Before the meeting, Mr Trump said: “I actually think he’s (Mr Starmer) very nice. He ran a great race, he did very well, it’s very early he’s very popular.”
It is understood that volunteer trips have been organised in a personal capacity and accommodation has been arranged by volunteers for the Democrats. Volunteers are understood to have gone to the US in their own time.
