Republicans are furious after revelations that nearly 100 British Labour activists are being funded to campaign for Kamala Harris in key swing states, sparking allegations of election interference and heated exchanges between U.S. and UK leaders.
Republican outrage is mounting after revelations that nearly 100 British left-wing activists, linked to the UK's Labour Party, are being funded to campaign for Kamala Harris in key U.S. battleground states. The news has sparked accusations of election interference and questions about whether U.S. electoral laws have been violated.
A now-deleted social media post from Sofia Patel, Labour’s Director of Operations, detailed recruitment efforts for North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, promising paid-for accommodations for volunteers. "I have nearly 100 Labour Party staff (current and former) going to the U.S. in the next few weeks... we will sort your housing," Patel wrote.
Prominent Republicans, including Elon Musk and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, have voiced concern. Greene blasted the move, stating, "Foreign nationals are not allowed to be involved in any way in U.S. elections. Please go back to the UK and fix your own mass immigration problems that are ruining your country." Under U.S. Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules, foreign nationals can volunteer for campaigns but cannot be paid, donate, or hold leadership roles, making the Labour activists' role a legal gray area.
Adding fuel to the fire are recent incendiary remarks from top Labour leaders. Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Trump and the Republican Party of fostering a politics of “hate and division,” further intensifying tensions between the two nations. Deputy Leader Angela Rayner took the rhetoric up a notch, suggesting that Trump and Republicans have “blood on their hands.” Many Americans found Rayner’s comments particularly disrespectful, given the history of American soldiers shedding blood on British soil and in defense of British interests.
Perhaps the most inflammatory comment came from the newly appointed Foreign Secretary, who labeled Trump a "neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath." While harsh political language is not unusual, the vitriol in these attacks marks a dramatic departure from the traditionally measured approach past British governments have taken in criticizing U.S. presidents, even when disagreements existed.
Republican leaders have been quick to respond to Labour’s involvement in U.S. politics. Senator Tom Cotton said, "The arrival of Labour activists is yet another reason to vote for President Trump," while former Trump adviser Sebastian Gorka decried the effort as blatant election interference. Brexit leader Nigel Farage added, "This is direct election interference by the governing Labour Party, and particularly stupid if Trump wins. Who is paying for all of this?"
Labour’s entanglement in the Harris campaign could have broader diplomatic consequences, especially given the highly organized effort to send activists to swing states like North Carolina and Pennsylvania. With U.S. federal law prohibiting foreign nationals from directly influencing elections, the FEC may need to weigh in on whether the Labour Party’s actions crossed the line.
Meanwhile, Labour-linked strategists have been advising Harris’s campaign on how to win back disaffected voters and craft a successful centrist platform, drawing even more scrutiny as the election draws closer. Whether these efforts violate U.S. law remains to be seen, but for now, the controversy has ignited Republican fears of foreign meddling—and sparked an unprecedented war of words between the U.S. and its closest ally.