SIR Keir Starmer made history yesterday — helping the Poppy Appeal just as he was due to have a Cabinet meeting.
For the first time since the veterans’ charity drive began in 1921, ministers put money in collecting tins and got out credit cards to make donations as they arrived at No10.
And even though the appeal officially launches tomorrow, the PM got his poppy yesterday so he could wear it to a Commonwealth summit in Samoa later this week.
Poppy-selling veteran Dr Jenny Hartley, 43, also got Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Healey to get theirs ahead of schedule.
Jenny said: “Selling poppies in the High Street is a bit less glamorous than in Downing Street but it is important to help our veterans wherever you buy your poppy.”
She added: “Like a lot of people, I always thought the Legion is for older veterans and I don’t see myself as being in that group.”
The PM also met paramedic student Zoe Salton, 24, who has been a collector for ten years and National Service veteran Michael Homer, 80, who has been a poppy appeal organiser in Fareham, Hants, for 16 years.
They were joined at No10 by Deen Maan, 25, who sells poppies in Finchley and Mill Hill, north London.
The Royal British Legion hopes to raise £53million this year to help ex-soldiers.
DONALD Trump’s presidential campaign has accused Labour of “foreign interference” in the US election.
The Republican chief’s team filed a complaint accusing the “far-Left” party of inspiring Kamala Harris’ “dangerously liberal policies”.
A statement on DonaldJTrump.com on Tuesday night said: “The Trump-Vance Campaign has filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against the Harris-Walz Campaign and the Labour Party of the United Kingdom for illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference in our elections.”
The linked complaint refers to reports by The Telegraph newspaper with regards to people associated with Labour going to the US to campaign for Kamala Harris.
It claims that reporting “surrounding the relationship between the Harris campaign and the Labour Party create a reasonable inference that the Labour Party has made”.
It added “the Harris campaign has accepted, illegal foreign national contributions”.
The letter refers to a report in the Washington Post which claims that advice has been offered between the Labour Party and Ms Harris’ campaign.
It mentions other reporting regarding meetings between senior Labour staff and the Democratic campaign.
The complaint also references a social media post which now appears to have been deleted.
A Labour staff member appeared to have said there were “nearly 100 Labour Party staff (current and former) going to the US in the next few weeks” to swing states.
It is understood that trips have been organised in a personal capacity and accommodation has been arranged by volunteers for the Democrats.
Sir Keir Starmer met with Mr Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, during a trip to New York last month.
The Prime Minister visited Trump Tower for talks ahead of the US election.
Sir Keir said he wanted to meet Mr Trump face-to-face because “I’m a great believer in personal relationships on the world stage”.
The Labour Party has been approached for comment.
ARSENAL fans fumed as Kai Havertz was denied taking a penalty – before Leandro Trossard’s miss.
The Gunners were leading Shakhtar Donetsk after Gabriel Martinelli’s strike on the half-hour mark forced an own goal from keeper Dmytro Riznyk.
But Arsenal had the chance to wrap the game up with 15 minutes to go after Valeriy Bondar handled in the box.
Following a VAR check, referee Benoit Bastien pointed to the spot.
Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s chief penalty taker but the England winger was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Havertz has taken a penalty for the Gunners before and has missed only once from 12 yards in his career.
But still it was Trossard who was given responsibility – for the first time in an Arsenal shirt.
And his effort was saved by the legs of Riznyk to make up for his earlier mistake.
It left Gooners fuming as one said: “Havertz has scored 20 of the 21 penalties he’s taken in his career. Why was Trossard taking it?”
Another added: “You get a penalty and give it to Trossard yet your best penalty taker (Havertz) is on pitch.
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“We can really take risks and that’s not acceptable.”
One raged: “Havertz is way too nice too. Should have snatched the ball straight away from Trossard.”
Another fumed: “Why didn’t Havertz take the pen? Of the 11 on the field, he is the logical penalty taker for Arsenal. Horrible penalty from Trossard.”
Fortunately for Trossard, Arsenal held onto their 1-0 lead to win the game but Arteta said it was not his decision for the Belgian to take the penalty.
He said: “I dunno the conversation as he [Havertz] is one of the takers, Leo decided to take it, okay he missed it unfortunately.”
So unfortunate
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