Why Donald Trump's team have accused Labour of 'blatant' US presidential election interference

Donald Trump’s campaign is accusing the UK Labour Party of “blatant foreign interference” in the US presidential election.

The Republican candidate’s team has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against the Labour Party, saying the contact between Labour and Kamala Harris’s campaign, and its volunteering efforts, amounts to illegal “contributions”.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has tried to play down any involvement, saying party activists are travelling to the US to campaign for Democrat Kamala Harris in a personal capacity.

The contenders: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris

In the complaint from Mr Trump’s team it cites reports in The Washington Post that communications were exchanged between the two parties and that senior officials have met in private.

It adds this creates a “reasonable interference that the Labour Party has made, and the Harris campaign has accepted, illegal foreign national contributions”.

On top of this there are also complaints about a now-deleted LinkedIn post by Labour’s head of operations Sofia Patel.

It said there are “10 posts available for anyone available to head to the battleground state of North Carolina - we will sort your housing”.

Ms Patel added nearly 100 current and former Labour Party staff will be heading out to the US in the coming weeks.

Richard Grenell, who is expected to become US secretary of state if Mr Trump wins, told BBC Newsnight this is an “open and shut case” of election interference.

The Prime Minister has been downplaying the accusations - speaking to reporters while flying to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in Samoa, Sir Keir said: “The Labour Party has volunteers, [they] have gone over pretty much every election.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer | Sean Gallup/Getty Images

“They’re doing it in their spare time. They’re doing it as volunteers.

“They’re staying, I think, with other volunteers over there.”

Environment Secretary Steve Reed also told BBC Breakfast: “It’s up to private citizens how they use their time and their money and it’s not unusual for supporters of a party in one country to go and campaign for a sister party in another. Love politics? Then sign up for The Steamie daily newsletter

“It happens both ways round and across many, many countries.

“But none of this was organised or funded by the Labour Party itself - these are individual people making their own choice as they are free to do.”

He added the Labour government will “work closely” with whoever wins the US presidential election.

This comes as the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Alex Cole-Hamilton jets off to campaign for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania, another key swing state in this election.

Alex Cole-Hamilton at the airport, heading off to Pennsylvania | Picture: X/social media

He defended his trip over accusations he was “breaking the rules”, and said: “It’s not my first rodeo.

“I was there in 2008 helping Obama.

“I am not breaking any rules. I am using some of my free time during Holyrood recess.

“I am going to indulge my favourite hobby, which is going out and speaking to people about what matters to them.”

Foreign nationals are permitted to volunteer in the US presidential campaign as long as they are not compensated for it - in fact, it is considered normal for party officials from the UK to be in contact with counterparts in the US.

This has previously also taken place between the UK Conservative Party and US Republicans.