Trump campaign files complaint against UK's Labour, alleging 'election interference'
The re-election campaign of former United States President Donald Trump has accused the United Kingdom's Labour Party of "blatant foreign interference" in the US presidential election. The allegations come after reports that volunteers from the Labour Party traveled to the US to support Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign. Trump's team has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in Washington, seeking an investigation into the activities.
Trump campaign calls for investigation into Labour Party's actions
The complaint filed by Trump's campaign with the FEC demands an immediate probe into what it called "apparent illegal foreign national contributions" from the UK's Labour Party, accepted by Harris for President. The complaint references media reports and a now-deleted LinkedIn post by Britain's Labour Party head of operations Sofia Patel. Patel wrote that "nearly 100" current and former Labour staff would be traveling to the US to help elect Harris.
Labour Party's response to election interference allegations
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed the claims, insisting that any members of his party, who were in the US, were on an entirely voluntary basis, similar to in previous elections. "That's what they've done in previous elections, is what they're doing in this election. And that's really straightforward," he told reporters. He said he was confident this complaint wouldn't strain relations if Trump wins on November 5.
What does the FEC rules say about campaigns
Foreign nationals are permitted by FEC rules to campaign for a US electoral candidate, but only "as an uncompensated volunteer." According to FEC rules, "An individual who is a foreign national may participate in campaign activities as an uncompensated volunteer. In doing so, the volunteer must be careful not to participate in the decision-making process of the campaign."
