Donald Trump’s campaign team has requested an investigation into alleged “blatant foreign interference” by the Labour Party in the election. The complaint to the US Federal Election Commission alleges “interference” through “apparent illegal foreign national contributions” from the UK’s Labour Party, supposedly “accepted” by Kamala Harris’s campaign.
The complaint cites a Washington Post report that claimed “strategists linked to Britain’s Labour Party have been advising Kamala Harris on how to regain disaffected voters and run a centre-left campaign.” It also mentions a Telegraph report indicating that Morgan McSweeney, Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, and Matthew Doyle, his director of communications, “attended a convention in Chicago and met with Ms Harris’s campaign team.”
There is no evidence that the Labour Party made any financial contributions to the Democrat campaign, which US law prohibits. However, some of Trump’s supporters have criticised Labour Party staff volunteering on Harris’s campaign, even though US law allows this as long as the volunteers are not compensated.
The Trump campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the “far-left Labour Party” for foreign election interference.
If Trump wins, Starmer and his student politician Cabinet will have done more damage to the special relationship than any British… pic.twitter.com/pUBM5U9ehU
— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) October 22, 2024
In a now-deleted LinkedIn post, Labour Party’s head of operations, Sofia Patel, stated, “I have nearly 100 Labour Party staff, current and former, going to the US in the next few weeks, heading to North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.” She added that there were “10 spots available for anyone to head to the battleground state of [North] Carolina – we will sort your housing.” These trips are understood to be personal, self-funded, and not organised or funded by the Labour Party, with accommodation arranged by Democrat campaign volunteers.
The complaint, filed on behalf of Donald J Trump for President 2024, emphasises that foreign nationals are prohibited from “directly or indirectly” making “a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation,” in support of an American candidate. US law forbids financial contributions, donations, and expenditure from foreign nationals in elections and prohibits their participation in election-related decisions. However, they may volunteer in campaigns as long as they are not compensated.
A government minister recently told Sky News it was “normal” for Labour staff to campaign for a Democrat candidate. Asked if Labour staff assisting the Democrat campaign could harm the UK’s relationship with the US if Trump wins, Alison McGovern told Sky News, “As far as I know, this is a voluntary effort, with volunteers sharing their time. This is a normal occurrence in elections.”
BREAKING – that’s embarrassing… Labour in foreign election interference scandal!
Trump takes legal action against the LABOUR Party for their election interference in sending over 100 staff to help the Kamala Harris campaign.
Bravo Labour, you’ve turned the UK into a farce 🤡 pic.twitter.com/LnAfoIWjXS
— Bernie (@Artemisfornow) October 22, 2024
This election is not the first time Labour and Tory staff have campaigned for Democrats and Republicans, respectively. David Axelrod, a former adviser to Barack Obama, assisted Ed Miliband’s campaign in 2015, while Jim Messina, another former Obama aide, helped David Cameron’s campaign the same year.
Senior UK Conservatives, including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, have attended high-profile Republican events like the National Convention in July. Last month, Sir Keir Starmer’s former pollster, Deborah Mattinson, met Harris’s campaign team in Washington to share election advice following Labour’s landslide victory in July. The Prime Minister also had his first face-to-face meeting with Trump in New York last month. Sir Keir emphasised the importance of personal relationships on the international stage, stating, “I think it really matters that you know who your counterpart is in any given country and know them personally, get to know them face to face.”
What Other Media Are Saying
- Politico.eu reports on Donald Trump’s legal complaint against the UK Labour Party for aiding Kamala Harris, a move Trump’s allies see as election interference, highlighting controversy and partisan tensions.(read more)
- NY Post: The article alleges foreign interference in Trump’s campaign, accusing Kamala Harris’s campaign and British Labour of illegal collusion.(read more)
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
What is Trump’s campaign team accusing the Labour Party of?
They allege the Labour Party engaged in ‘blatant foreign interference’ by advising Kamala Harris’s campaign.
Did the Labour Party make financial contributions to Harris’s campaign?
No, there is no evidence of financial contributions, which US law prohibits.
Can foreign nationals volunteer for US campaigns?
Yes, as long as they are not compensated for their work.
Have UK political party members campaigned in US elections before?
Yes, members of both Labour and Tory parties have campaigned for Democrats and Republicans, respectively.
What did Sofia Patel’s LinkedIn post mention about Labour staff?
She mentioned nearly 100 Labour staff heading to the US for self-funded, personal trips to volunteer in the election.
