Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed Donald Trump’s accusations that Labour carried out “blatant foreign interference” in the United States’ election.
The Prime Minister hit back at the Republican nominee’s campaign after they lodged a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), accusing the UK ruling party of aiding Kamala Harris’ Harris campaign.
The Prime Minister defended Labour aides who travelled to the US to campaign for the Democratic nominee in battleground states ahead of their election next month.
Sir Keir said: “The Labour Party has volunteers. [They] 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.
The Prime Minister insisted his relationship with Mr Trump is not at risk if he wins the presidential race on November 5.
The complaint from Mr Trump’s campaign specifically mentions newspaper reporting that Labour-linked individuals have travelled to the US to campaign for Ms Harris.
That reporting, the complaint alleges, created a “reasonable inference that the Labour Party has made, and the Harris campaign has accepted, illegal foreign national contributions.”
Speaking to reporters on the way to Samoa for a Commonwealth summit, Sir Keir said: “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 in 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.”
The Prime Minister visited the Republican presidential nominee at Trump Tower last month for talks ahead of the US election.
He had said he wanted to meet Mr Trump face-to-face because “I’m a great believer in personal relationships on the world stage”.
A statement on DonaldJTrump.com last night claimed that “far-left” Labour has “inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric”.
The letter also refers to a report in the Washington Post which claims that advice has been offered between Labour Party strategists and Ms Harris’ campaign, and other reporting regarding meetings between senior Labour staff and the Democratic campaign.
Those referenced in the letter include Matthew Doyle, the director of communications, and Morgan McSweeney, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff.
