Britain’s prime minister rejects a claim by the Trump campaign about election interference

By The Associated Press

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his visit to a NHS Healthcare Facility in East London, Monday Oct. 21, 2024. (Jaimi Joy/Pool Photo via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jaimi Joy]

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has rejected a claim by Donald Trump’s campaign that his Labour Party is illegally interfering in the U.S. presidential election.

A statement on Trump’s website on Tuesday night said an official complaint had been filed with the Federal Election Commission against the Labour Party and the campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris alleging “illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference in our elections.”

The complaint referred to media reports about meetings between Labour and Democrat officials, and a now-deleted LinkedIn post in which a Labour staffer said there were “nearly 100 Labour Party staff (current and former) going to the U.S. in the next few weeks” to swing states.

Labour said it is “common practice for campaigners of all political persuasions from around the world to volunteer in U.S. elections.” The party said in a statement that “where Labour activists take part, they do so at their own expense.”

Starmer said any party members in the U.S. were there as volunteers.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gestures during his visit to a NHS Healthcare Facility in East London, Monday Oct. 21, 2024. (Jaimi Joy/Pool Photo via AP)

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Jaimi Joy

“That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, is what they’re doing in this election,” he told reporters as he traveled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders.

Starmer said the matter would not jeopardize the relationship he has tried to build with Trump. Britain’s center-left leader visited Trump Tower to meet the Republican candidate in September.

“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,” he said.

Starmer added: “Of course, as prime minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people return as their president in the elections.”