\n
The Trump campaign complaint to the Federal Election Commission flags that senior Labour Party staff attended the Democratic convention in Chicago and met Harris\u2019s campaign team, naming Morgan McSweeney, the prime minister\u2019s chief of staff, and Matthew Doyle, Downing Street director of communications.<\/p>\n
Deborah Mattinson, Sir Keir\u2019s former director of strategy, was also named as someone who travelled to Washington in September to brief Harris\u2019s campaign on Labour\u2019s election-winning approach.<\/p>\n
It is understood from Labour officials that Labour met McSweeney\u2019s costs, while Doyle was hosted by the Progressive Policy Institute, a US think tank.<\/p>\n
But the officials said it would be wrong to suggest either man had advised or assisted the Harris campaign, adding that Labour sends a delegation to each Democratic convention.<\/p>\n
Officials also pointed out that Mattinson left the Labour party staff after July’s general election in the UK.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir briefly addressed the issue during his plane journey, telling reporters: \u201cThe Labour Party has volunteers, [they] have gone over pretty much every election.<\/p>\n
“They\u2019re doing it in their spare time. They\u2019re doing it as volunteers. They\u2019re staying I think with other volunteers over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
He denied the row would impact his relationship with Trump, reminding reporters the two had dinner together at Trump Tower in New York last month.<\/p>\n
The Prime Minister\u2019s deputy spokesperson stressed that the UK would always have \u201ca deep and strong relationship with the US as our closest ally\u201d whoever won the election.<\/p>\n
She was not aware of any plans for government ministers to speak to Trump\u2019s campaign team, but Sir Keir and Trump had discussed \u201cthe long-standing friendship” between the two nations during their New York dinner, she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a special relationship which has endured for over a century with leaders of all political stripes, and that will always be the case,” she added. <\/p>\n
Defence Secretary John Healey suggested the Trump campaign was “creating controversy” ahead of the presidential election. <\/p>\n
However, Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader and Trump supporter, told the BBC he believed the wording of the LinkedIn post breached US election law, saying the rules were “very, very clear”.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"Angela](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/ace\/standard\/240\/cpsprodpb\/b7c0\/live\/dedc9890-9143-11ef-b4ff-9d87c6202a99.png.webp)
<\/picture><\/span>UK Parliament\/PA<\/span><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n