Starmer insists relationship with Trump not under threat amid interference claims

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his relationship with Donald Trump is not under threat after the presidential candidate’s campaign claimed Labor was interfering in the US election.

A statement posted Tuesday evening on Mr. Trump’s website, DonaldJTrump.com, announced that a formal complaint had been filed with U.S. federal election officials and claimed that Labor had “performed, and the Harris campaign accepted illegal contributions from foreign nationals.”

The complaint follows reports that senior Labor officials met with Kamala Harris’ campaign and Labor Party members volunteered on the ground for her campaign.

Asked if it was a mistake for senior officials to have met with the Harris campaign, Sir Keir insisted all members of his party were in the US on a completely voluntary basis , as in previous elections.

“That’s what they did in previous elections, that’s what they’re doing in this election. And it’s very simple,” he told reporters as he traveled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders.

Asked whether the involvement of Labor officials in the Harris-Waltz Democratic campaign could jeopardize his relationship with Mr Trump if the ex-president was re-elected, Sir Keir replied: “No.”

He added: “I spent time in New York with President Trump, I had dinner with him, and my goal in doing that was to make sure that between the two of us we established a good relationship, which we did, and I was very grateful. to him for taking the time.

After calling the meeting “a good and constructive discussion”, Sir Keir added: “Of course, as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people choose as president in the elections which are now very tight. »

The statement posted Tuesday evening on DonaldJTrump.com stated that “the Trump-Vance campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Harris-Walz campaign and the UK Labor Party for illegal campaign contributions.” foreign and interference in our politics. elections”.

The related complaint to the Federal Election Commission refers to reports in The Telegraph newspaper about people associated with the Labor Party traveling to the United States to campaign for Ms Harris.

The letter also references a Washington Post article that claims advice was exchanged between Labor and Ms. Harris’s campaign, as well as other reports of meetings between Labor executives and the Democratic campaign.

The complaint also refers to a social media post, which now appears to have been deleted, in which a Labor staffer appeared to have stated that “nearly 100 current and former Labor staffers would be traveling to the States -United in the coming weeks.” in swing states.

Sir Keir met Mr Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, during a trip to New York last month.

The prime minister visited Trump Tower for talks ahead of the US election and said he wanted to meet Mr Trump in person because “I strongly believe in personal relationships on the world stage”.