October 23rd 2024.
During a recent interview, Sir Ben Bradshaw expressed his thoughts on the ongoing controversy between Donald Trump and Keir Starmer. As a former Labour minister who has served in various positions, including Culture Secretary and health minister under Gordon Brown, Sir Ben dismissed the legal complaint made by Donald Trump's campaign team against the party as nothing more than a "political stunt." He also stated that there is no evidence to suggest that the personal relationship between Starmer and Trump has been affected by this dispute.
The complaint, which was lodged with the Federal Election Commission, accuses both Kamala Harris's presidential campaign and the UK Labour Party of "illegal foreign campaign contributions and interference in our elections." The Trump team pointed to a LinkedIn post from Labour's Head of Operations, which advertised 10 remaining slots for anyone interested in joining 100 current and former party staff on a trip to the US to support Harris's campaign and offered to take care of their housing arrangements. However, according to US campaign finance laws, volunteers from abroad can only spend up to £1,000 in support of their chosen candidate.
Sir Ben clarified that this is not an uncommon practice, as volunteers from all political parties in the UK have helped out their sister parties in other countries, not just the US. He also mentioned that figures from the Conservative Party have also campaigned for the Democrats in the past. While he personally has not campaigned in the US, he has previously helped out with the SDP's campaign in Germany.
When asked about the potential strain on relations between Trump and Starmer, Sir Ben questioned the evidence for such a claim and stated that he doesn't believe it has caused any rift. He also emphasized the separation between government relations and individual volunteering in an election campaign, stating that they are two separate matters. Sir Ben also addressed the Trump campaign's actions as nothing more than a political stunt, a common tactic used during campaigns. He reassured that this has not had any impact on the US government's relationship with the Labour government.
While Trump has yet to address the allegations made by his campaign team, Sir Keir was asked about the complaint by reporters while on his way to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government. He confirmed that volunteers from Labour have gone to support various campaigns in the past and are currently staying with other volunteers in the US. Sir Keir also mentioned that he has established a good relationship with Trump, having previously had dinner with him in New York. He has not met Kamala Harris but has had several meetings with President Joe Biden since winning the General Election on July 5.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Deputy PM Angela Rayner, who was standing in for Sir Keir, addressed the issue by stating that it is not uncommon for people to go and campaign in their own time. She emphasized that this happens in all political parties and that individuals are free to do what they want with their time and money.
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