It would be one thing for Labour activists to get involved in the US presidential election when Sir Keir Starmer’s party was in opposition.
It is quite another thing when in government. Little wonder Team Trump is crying foul over “foreign interference” when Labour figures have been assisting the Kamala Harris campaign.
Fine, Labour is ideologically closer to the Dems. Crudely, the Tories are closer to the Republicans, although that link is more tenuous.
But – when in government – a party machine needs to be extra sensitive, especially with polls as tight as they are right now in the States.
Fair enough, Labour officials say they will work with whoever wins in November. To that end, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has made overtures to GOP figures, while Sir Keir had an apparently constructive dinner with the former President.
But – after this bust up – the lesser question is whether Labour will still work well with a future Trump administration than will a future Trump administration work wepl with Labour.
Given Trump’s noted unpredictability, this is a huge risk but we all rely upon strong UK-US ties. A rising belligerent China, for one, demands even greater UK-US cooperation.
Instead we have a Foreign Secretary who once lambasted Trump now seemingly kowtowing to Beijing.
Meanwhile, in spite of Sir Keir’s overtures to Brussels, the US is still Britain’s most important economic and defence partner. The EU has also made clear it won’t allow ‘cherry picking’ by the UK.
In this, Nigel Farage may be the one person who could smooth things over given his friendship with Trump and deep knowledge of the Trump team.
How ironic would it be if, having dumped on UK-US ties, Labour had to eat humble pie and call upon the services of the Reform UK leader to help fix a diplomatic row of Labour’s making?
Nothing should undermine the ties which bind London and Washington. Arm’s length though these activists may be, Labour needed to keep a tight rein on this.
Nigel Farage then may prove himself the one person able to clear up a stupid and unnecessary mess by a Government and party which ought to have known better.