An international row has broken out over labour party members travelling to the US to campaign for Presidential candidate Kamala Harris. 

Republican candidate Donald Trump has nnounced an official complaint had been filed with US federal election officials, and claimed the Labour Party had “made, and the Harris campaign has accepted, illegal foreign national contributions”. 

While there is no evidence to back up the ‘foreign contributions’ claim, and the party members have said they are travelling as private citizens and not acting officially, the issue raises an interesting question. 

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UK politicians campaigning in the US has been a feature since the rise of Donald Trump.  

Both Reform party leader Nigel Farage and former Prime Minister Liz Truss have crossed the Atlantic to speak at Trump and Republican rallies, while the Labour party has favoured the Democrats.  

Scottish Lib dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has also flown to America this week to lend his support to the Harris campaign.  

Adressing the latest row, Prime Minister Sir Kweir Starmer said that any members of his party were in the US 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 as he travelled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders. 

Pressed further about whether Labour officials’ involvement in the Harris-Waltz Democrat campaign could jeopardise his relationship with Mr Trump if the ex-president wins re-election, Sir Keir replied: “No.” 

He added: “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.”