UK politics live: Starmer embroiled in US election interference row after Trump campaign launches attack on PM
Starmer rejects suggestion it was mistake for senior Labour staffers to meet with Harris campaign
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Donald Trump’s campaign has accused Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party of interfering in the US presidential election.
Filing a complaint with the US Federal Election Commission (FEC) which accuses Labour of illegal foreign campaign donations, the campaign’s co-manager Susie Wiles claimed: “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.”
The claims follow reports of senior Labour officials meeting with Kamala Harris’ campaign, and Labour Party staffers volunteering on the ground for her campaign.
Asked if it was a mistake for senior staffers to have met with the Harris campaign, Sir Keir insisted any members of his party were in the US on an entirely voluntary basis.
“That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, is what they’re doing in this election. And that’s really straightforward,” he told reporters as he travelled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders.
Donald Trump’s party has campaigned in UK elections – for the Tories
Donald Trump has claimed the Labour Party is interfering in the US election – after members campaigned for Kamala Harris.
But Donald Trump’s party, the Republicans, has campaigned in the UK – for the Tories.
A group of young US Republican party activists travelled to Britain, on a visit organised by the Young Republican National Federation, to “help our Conservative colleagues win” during the 2015 general election, the Financial Times reported at the time.
Wes Streeting to vote against assisted dying legislation
Health secretary Wes Streeting is to vote against an assisted dying Bill amid fears around coercion and people feeling a “duty to die”.
The cabinet minister had previously said he was “uncharacteristically undecided” on the issue.
MPs will debate Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 29 November and an initial vote is expected that day.
Mr Streeting’s decision, first reported by The Times, is understood to have been made amid concerns around people feeling pressured to end their lives.
The news follows justice secretary Shabana Mahmood’s previous declaration to The Times that she will vote against the Bill, saying: “As a Muslim, I have an unshakeable belief in the sanctity and value of human life.”
What has Donald Trump accused Keir Starmer’s Labour of?
Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has launched an extraordinary attack on Keir Starmer’s Labour as party officials are accused of interfering in the upcoming US election.
In its complaint to the FEC, the Trump campaign’s deputy general counsel Gary Lawkowski accuses the Labour Party and the Harris-Walz campaign of “making and accepting illegal foreign national contributions”.
Explaining its position on Mr Trump’s website, a spokesperson wrote: “In recent weeks, [Labour] has recruited and sent party members to campaign for Kamala in critical battleground states, attempting to influence our election.”
The Trump campaign’s complaint raises a few issues. Firstly, they believe that the campaigning efforts of several Labour activists in the US are in breach of the country’s electoral law.
My colleague Albert Toth has this explainer on what the Trump campaign is alleging:
What has Donald Trump accused Starmer’s Labour of? US election complaints explained
The Trump campaign has attacked the “far-left” Labour Party
Rachel Reeves says she regularly messages Tory predecessor
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said she regularly speaks to Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, and her Tory predecessor.
Ms Reeves told BBC Radio 5: “I speak to Gordon regularly – I also speak to Tony Blair regularly.”
The chancellor added that she regularly messages Jeremy Hunt, with who she has a “good relationship”, saying: “I may not be particularly impressed with the state of the public finances that he left me, but I do recognise that after Kwasi Kwarteng, he had a tough job to do as well.”
Minister said last week that Labour staff campaigning for Democrats was ‘a normal thing’
Last week, Sir Keir Starmer’s employment minister Alison McGovern made reference to Labour Party staff who would be travelling to the US to help elect Ms Harris.
She told Sky News: “As far as I know, this is a voluntary thing and it’s about volunteers going and sharing their time.
“This is a normal thing that happens in elections. It is not the first time Labour staff have travelled to the US during presidential elections to campaign for the Democratic nominee.”
Starmer says he established ‘good relationship’ with Trump
Pressed about whether Labour officials’ involvement in the Harris-Waltz Democrat campaign could jeopardise his relationship with Mr Trump if the ex-president wins re-election, Sir Keir replied: “No.”
Speaking as he travelled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders added: “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 I was very grateful to him for making the time.”
Video report: Trump campaign files complaint over ‘foreign interference’ by Labour Party
Minister says UK-US ‘special relationship’ will “continue into the future’
Asked if he wanted Donald Trump to win or lose the election, environment secretary Steve Reed told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “[Whoever] the American people elect as their president, the United Kingdom government will work with them very closely.
“We’ve had a special relationship with the US for many decades now and that will continue into the future.”
Starmer dismisses Trump campaign claims of US election interference
Sir Keir Starmer dismissed the claims of interference in the US election. Asked if it was a mistake for senior staffers to have met with the Harris campaign, he insisted that any members of his party were in the US on an entirely voluntary basis, similar to in previous elections.
“That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, is what they’re doing in this election. And that’s really straightforward,” he told reporters as he travelled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders.
‘None of this was organised by Labour Party’, says cabinet minister
Asked about the Trump campaign’s accusations of interference in the US election, environment secretary Steve Reed told LBC: “It’s up to private individuals to choose how they use their own time and their own money.
“If people want to take holiday and go and campaign in another country that’s up to them. But none of this was organised by the Labour Party itself, it’s just individuals.
“And actually it’s perfectly normal. I’ve seen Americans here campaigning for different parties in our elections as well. It’s not unusual for people supporting a party in one country to then go and campaign for a sister party in another.”
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