Even though Donald Trump was convicted of all 34 counts in New York court last week, the UK Labour Party said it would “work with whoever” becomes U.S. president following November’s elections.
Last week, Keir Starmer, the leader of the opposition party in the UK, said that if his party were elected to represent the United Kingdom this summer, they’d converse with whoever Americans choose to represent them at the polls this fall.
Starmer is aiming to become prime minister of the UK during the country’s July 4 elections. Right now, polling is showing that he’s in the lead to do so.
HIs party, which sits at the center-left of the political spectrum, has kept a close eye on the “unprecedented” criminal verdict against Trump, which made him the first former president in history to be a convicted felon.
Despite that, Labour would maintain its relationship with the U.S. even if Trump were to be the next president.
As he said on BBC Radio Scotland last week:
“Obviously, we respect the decision of the court, the independent court — there’s a bit of process to go with sentencing and appeal. But, we are in an unprecedented situation. There’s no doubt about that. …
“Ultimately, whether he’s elected president will be a matter for the American people and, obviously, if we’re privileged to come in to serve, we would work with whoever they choose as their president. But, there’s no getting away from the fact this is a wholly unprecedented situation.”
Anticipating a possible leadership role in the UK, members of the Labour Party have been building in-roads with senior Republicans in the U.S. If the Torries end up winning the elections in the UK and the GOP takes back the White House, this relationship would be crucial to maintain the long-standing alliance the two countries have enjoyed.
The party has started this work early in part because David Lammy — who would be Britain’s leading diplomat if the Labour Party wins — has criticized Trump for a while now. But, in recent times, he’s won praise from some major Trump allies.
Speaking on Times Radio on Friday morning, Peter Kyle — who’s one of Starmer’s key allies and holds the tech brief for the party — talked up the long “tradition and history” between the U.S. and UK when he was pressed about the Trump verdict.
Asked about the case, Kyle said that the Labour Party has to not “preempt or try and influence in any way the decision that the American people take” during November’s elections.
He added that a victory for Trump “might not be the outcome that comes after the presidential election later this year,” but if it does end up that way, “we will focus on those enduring ties and make sure we preserve them for future generations.”
The words from both leading Labour Party men aren’t exactly a resounding vote of confidence for Trump. They come off instead as an admittance that they wouldn’t have a choice but to deal with Trump if he were to be elected president.
