UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has asserted that his relationship with Donald Trump remains strong, despite the Trump campaign accusing Labour of “blatant foreign interference” in the upcoming U.S. election.
The complaint arose after Labour officials were reported to be volunteering in key battleground states for Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic rival.
The Trump campaign has filed a legal complaint with the U.S. Federal Election Commission, alleging that the involvement of Labour volunteers in the U.S. election amounted to “illegal foreign national contributions.”
The complaint followed reports of nearly 100 current and former Labour officials traveling to the U.S. to assist the Harris campaign in swing states such as North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
A statement posted on Donald Trump’s official website on Tuesday night claimed that the “far-left” Labour Party had inspired Harris’s “dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric.”
Volunteers in Their Spare Time
In response to these allegations, Starmer insisted that the involvement of Labour officials in the U.S. election was strictly voluntary and did not reflect any formal backing by the party.
Speaking to reporters on his way to the Commonwealth summit in Samoa, Starmer clarified that “The Labour Party volunteers have gone over pretty much every election. They’re doing it in their spare time, they’re doing it as volunteers.”
He further explained that the volunteers were staying with fellow campaigners in the U.S., just as they had in previous elections. “That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, that’s what they’re doing in this election, and that’s really straightforward,” he said.
When asked if the complaint could jeopardize his relationship with Trump, especially if Trump wins the upcoming presidential election, Starmer remained firm. “No,” he said, emphasizing that his relationship with Trump had been positive after meeting him in New York. “I spent time in New York with President Trump, had dinner with him … to make sure that between the two of us we established a good relationship, which we did,” Starmer added.
Tensions Over Foreign Campaigning
The Trump campaign’s complaint raised concerns over potential illegal contributions, comparing Labour’s involvement to a 2016 incident when the Australian Labor Party (ALP) sent delegates to help Bernie Sanders’ campaign.
In that case, the U.S. Federal Election Commission fined both the ALP and the Sanders campaign for funding the delegates’ travel and stipends. The Trump campaign suggested Labour’s actions could face similar scrutiny.
Gary Lawkowski, a lawyer for the Trump campaign, pointed to a now-deleted LinkedIn post by Labour’s head of operations, which indicated that almost 100 Labour officials had traveled to the U.S. for the Harris campaign.
The post also mentioned that ten spots remained available and offered to “sort your housing.” The Trump campaign’s legal team argued that these activities required immediate investigation.
Trump’s Historical Reference
The Trump campaign went further, drawing a sharp historical parallel in their statement, which referenced Britain’s defeat at the Battle of Yorktown during the American Revolution.
“When representatives of the British government previously sought to go door-to-door in America, it did not end well for them. This past week marked the 243rd anniversary of the surrender of British forces … It appears that the Labour Party and the Harris for President campaign have forgotten the message.”
Trump Campaign
Starmer, however, remains unfazed. He reiterated that Labour officials volunteering in the U.S. election were doing so independently and in their time. “These are volunteers who are acting on their own, and we have no official involvement,” he said.
As such, Starmer’s confidence in maintaining a “good relationship” with Trump, regardless of the U.S. election outcome, underlines his intention to navigate potential diplomatic challenges easily.
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