Sir Keir Starmer is unlikely to meet with Kamala Harris before the US election, after Donald Trump filed a complaint against the Labour Party for “foreign interference”.
The Prime Minister had previously met with Donald Trump in September whilst in New York, and had hoped to link up with Harris in order to speak face to face with both presidential candidates ahead of polling day.
However, the “usual diary challenges” got in the way, as Starmer is now in Samoa for a Commonwealth leader’ summit, whilst the US campaign enters its final two-weeks.
It is understood that Downing Street now accepts that with November 5 under a fortnight away, such a meeting is unlikely to happen.
Starmer gives up on meeting Harris after Trump files ‘foreign interference’ complaint
Reuters/PA
Trump launched an attack on Labour yesterday and claimed that the “far-left” party is involved in blatant “foreign interference” by appearing to support Democrat rival Kamala Harris.
Speaking with Trump last month, the Prime Minister said: “I’m a great believer in personal relations on the international stage.
“I think it really matters that you know who your counterpart is in any given country, and know them, you know personally, get to know them face to face.”
Starmer’s party has come under fire from the Trump-Vance campaign after it was revealed that staffers were jetting off to the US to campaign for Harris in key swing states.
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Starmer met Trump in September in New York
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The 2024 White House hopeful launched an attack on Labour and claimed the “far-left” party is involved in “blatant foreign interference” by appearing to support his rival.
In the complaint, sent to the US Federal Electoral Commission by Trump’s campaign, Labour were accused of “illegal foreign assistance” in “another feeble attempt in a long line of anti-American election interference”.
There is no evidence that the Labour Party has broken US law by making any financial contributions to Harris’ campaign.
Starmer has insisted that staffers were in the US on an entirely voluntary basis in their spare time.
Starmer had hoped to meet with Harris ahead of November 5 but Downing Street has now said that likely won’t be possible
Reuters
Trump launched an attack on Labour and claimed the “far-left” party is involved in ‘blatant foreign interference’
Reuters
A spokesman said the arrangement was “very standard and totally in line with rules, and it’s something that’s been commonplace for a number of years”.
Starmer maintained that his relationship with Trump would not be jeopardised by the incident.
“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.
“Of course as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people return as their president in the elections that are very close now,” he said.