As Donald Trump returns to the White Home, consideration right here has turned to the connection he can have with Sir Keir Starmer.
The pair dined in New York in September and have spoken on the cellphone since Trump's election victory, however one of many president-elect's former aides has steered a spat that passed off on the marketing campaign path should still be inflicting some complications.
What occurred?
Round 100 Labor Get together workers are thought to have volunteered for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris forward of the November 5 election.
In a now-deleted LinkedIn publish final month, Labour's head of operations mentioned: “I’ve nearly 100 Labor Get together workers, present and former, going to the US within the subsequent few weeks, going to Carolina North, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
“I’ve 10 locations out there for anybody who can go to the battleground state [North] Carolina – we'll checklist your house.”
What was the response?
Sebastian Gorka, a former Trump aide, responded to a publish on X about Labor activists with: “This can be a Keir Starmer crime.”
Tech mogul Elon Musk additionally claimed Labor volunteering within the Democratic marketing campaign was “unlawful”, and Nigel Farage was additionally sad.
Was it uncommon?
US regulation prohibits any monetary contribution, donation and expenditure by overseas nationals in any election.
Nevertheless, they’re allowed to volunteer in campaigns “so long as the person just isn’t compensated by anybody for the companies”.
That mentioned, Labor has lengthy been allied with the Democrats, simply because the Conservatives are with the Republicans.
Labor workers have traveled to the US throughout earlier presidential elections to marketing campaign for the Democratic candidate.
Senior Tories within the UK, notably former prime minister Liz Truss, have additionally attended high-profile republican occasions, together with the Nationwide Conference in July.
Can it harm relationships?
The Trump workforce took authorized motion within the US over the marketing campaign, though Labor can be hoping that's water below the bridge at this level.
Whereas Starmer and Trump usually are not pure allies, publicly there have been heat phrases between them in latest months.
However as a result of they're by no means on the identical facet politically, one other former Trump aide has steered the president-elect may maintain a grudge if different points come up sooner or later.
Joe Grogan Sky Information mentioned after the election that whereas its previous boss has “large love” for the UK, information of Labor staffers serving to his opponent was “silly”.
He hopes Sir Keir will be capable of “lengthen an olive department to President Trump and work collectively”, however steered he should admit he has “screwed it up”.
“It's listed with each Republican I've talked to who’s conscious of it,” he mentioned.