The Trump campaign has filed a complaint against the UK‘s Labour party, claiming “interference,” in the U.S. presidential election, alleging that Labour has sent party members to campaign for Trump’s opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The UK’s Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected the claim, stating that Labour sends volunteers over to the U.S. “every election,” and said that he has a “good relationship,” with former President Donald Trump.
The Trump campaign filed a complaint to the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) where they accused the UK’s Labour party of “blatant election interference,” in the 2024 presidential election.
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The Trump campaign has filed an FEC complaint, accusing the UK’s Labour Party of “blatant election interference.”
British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The Trump campaign has filed an FEC complaint, accusing the UK’s Labour Party of “blatant election interference.”
Jaimi Joy/Getty Images
The complaint cited media reports about meetings between Labour and the Harris campaign, volunteering efforts by Labour activist, and a LinkedIn Post from Sofia Patel, Labour’s head of operations.
In the since-deleted post, Patel said that she had “nearly 100 Labour Party staff (current and former) going to the U.S. in the next few weeks heading to North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virgina,” and said there were “10 spots available,” in “battleground,” North Carolina, and said that they would “sort your housing.” It included the email address, labourforkamala@gmail.com.
A Labour Party spokesperson told Newsweek: “It is common practice for campaigners of all political persuasions from around the world to volunteer in U.S. elections. Where Labour activists take part, they do so at their own expense, in accordance with the laws and rules.”
Newsweek has reached out to the U.K. Government via email for comment.
In a statement announcing the complaint, titled in part “The British Are Coming!” the Trump campaign says that “the far-left Labour party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric.”
“They have recruited and sent party members to campaign for Kamala in critical battleground states, attempting our influence election.”
It added that, “When representatives of the British government previously sought to go door-to-door in America, it did not end well form them,” referencing the American War of Independence.”
Elected in July, Starmer and his government are viewed as centre-left, after the new leadership steered Labour away from the left wing policies of its previous leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
Speaking to reporters who are traveling with the prime minister to the Commonwealth summit in Samoa, Starmer responded that party officials who are volunteering for Harris, ahead of the presidential election on November 5 were “doing it in their spare time. They’re doing it as volunteers,” rather than in a professional capacity working for the Labour government.
“The Labour party … volunteers, have gone over pretty much every election,” he said.
The prime minister maintained that he has a “good,” relationship with Trump, mentioning a dinner the two had at Trump Tower in New York that month, an event Starmer said he was “grateful” for.
Starmer has never met Harris but has met President Biden on multiple occasions.
When asked if the filing will jeopardize his relationship with Trump, Starmer said “No.”
Steve Reed, who is the environment secretary in the UK told the BBC: “It’s up to private citizens how they use their time and their money and it’s not unusual for supporters of a party in one country to go and campaign for a sister party in another.”
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump campaign outside of normal working hours via email for comment.
Will This Have an Impact on U.K.-U.S. Relations?
This incident comes just two weeks before Americans go to the polls to elect a new president, with the race currently a tossup between Harris and Trump. Starmer could find himself calling to congratulate a man who has accused his party of trying to prevent a Republican victory.
Josephine Harmon, an assistant professor at Northeastern University in Boston, told Newsweek that it “could certainly create tensions the relationship between the two leaders, should Trump win.”
“Starmer will be aware that Britain needs a close trading relationship with the USA after its withdrawal from the [European Union].”
“It could create a chill in relations should Trump win the election,” Harmon said.
“Starmer will also be keen to cultivate a good relationship with whichever candidate becomes US President. For Starmer, this is not the image he would want for the party and he will be keen to minimize the fallout.”
“Labour is keen to emphasize its competence and credentials towards a second term,” Harmon said. “Having positive relations with a potential Trump administration would be important. That said, a potential Trump administration could be unpredictable and noncommittal on U.K. and European issues.”
As for the potential impact on the U.S. election? Harmon said, “It could feed into populist criticisms of ‘the establishment’ on the pro-Trump side, and of the Democrats as being an ‘establishment’ party and Trump an insurgent.”
“The only way that it would impact the election is by increasing Republican or decreasing Democratic turnout. It is unlikely to have much impact at all on the Democratic side, and would turn out Republicans who are likely already turning out for Trump in any case.”
Update, 23/10/24, 8:38 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Josephine Harmon.
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