U.K. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has insisted it is still possible for him to have a “good relationship” with former President Donald Trump, despite an election interference claim filed by the former President’s election campaign.
Last week Newsweek reported on a LinkedIn post by a senior member of the British Labour Party inviting staff members to participate in Democrat Harris’ campaign efforts in battleground states, crucial to both the vice president and her opponent Trump, as the tight presidential race approaches its end.
“I have nearly 100 Labour Party staff (current and former) going to the US in the next few weeks heading to Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Virginia,” the post said.
“I have 10 spots available for anyone available to head to the battleground state of North Carolina—we will sort your housing.” It has since been deleted.
Trump Campaign Files Complaint
The Trump campaign filed a legal complaint on Tuesday against the idea of Starmer’s Labour Party officials traveling to US battleground states to volunteer for his Democrat rival Kamala Harris.
The letter, published on Trump’s official website DonaldJTrump.com was sent to the US Federal Election Commission. It argued that the volunteering efforts in question and reports of messages exchanged between the Harris campaign and UK Labour Party officials were “illegal foreign national contributions.”
A statement about the letter posted on DonaldJTrump.com argued that the “far-left” U.K. Labour party has “inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric.”
Starmer Defends His Party
According to a Reuters report, Starmer told reporters traveling with him to the Commonwealth summit in Samoa “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, 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 straightforward,” Starmer is reported to have said.
Member’s of Starmer’s left-leaning government have previously attacked Trump’s policies and character, in particular U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy called Trump a “neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath.”
Newsweek has contacted a Labour Party media representative via email for comment.
What Are the Rules?
According to its website, the U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) prohibits “contributions, donations, expenditures (including independent expenditures) and disbursements solicited, directed, received or made directly or indirectly by or from foreign nationals in connection with any federal, state or local election.”
However, the FEC says individuals may volunteer personal services to a campaign “without making a contribution as long as the individual is not compensated by anyone for the services.”
“Although foreign nationals may not make contributions or expenditures (including advances of personal funds) in connection with any federal, state or local election, an individual who is a foreign national may participate in campaign activities as an uncompensated volunteer,” the FEC states.
The FEC adds that foreign national volunteers must not participate in the decision-making process of the campaign.
“For example, a foreign national volunteer may attend committee events and campaign strategy meetings, but may not be involved in the management of the committee,” it says.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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