Our Prime Minister has dismissed accusations of ‘blatant foreign interference’ by Labour in the US presidential race, but has he done enough to defend his party?
Keir Starmer has batted away a complaint about ‘blatant foreign interference’ by the Labour Party in the US presidential race – but has our PM hit back hard enough?:
Donald Trump’s team accused Labour of making “apparent illegal foreign national contributions” to Kamala 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 told the Federal Election Commission: “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.”
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However, the Prime Minister dismissed the complaint, stating that it’s common for party staff to volunteer in the US elections. He made this comment to reporters accompanying him on his trip 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 tarnishing 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.
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“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.”
Last month, Mr Starmer and Mr Trump met in person for the first time while the Prime Minister was in New York for the UN General Assembly. The two had a two-hour dinner at Trump Tower, the Republican candidate’s opulent Manhattan headquarters.
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.
