Environment secretary Steve Reed says trip to US involving Labour staffers not paid for or organised by Labour party
Opinion in the commentator class is divided as to whether the Trump/Labour election interference row is just largely confected nonsense, or whether it is really quite serious. In his Inside Politics briefing for the Financial Times, Stephen Bush inclines to the latter view. Here is an excerpt.
Keir Starmer is wholly correct when he says it is normal for Labour party staffers and former Labour party staffers to volunteer their own time in US presidential campaigns.
But the big and important difference now is that Donald Trump is a very different kind of politician. In the unlikely event that Poilievre loses the next Canadian general election, Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberals, would not freeze out a Jenrick-led British government. Clinton and John Major worked well on a range of issues, as did Tony Blair and George W Bush. Trump is mercurial, unpredictable and chaotic.
There was nobody from a water company that was involved in offering those tickets. There was nobody from a water company at that event.
I probably wouldn’t, but I didn’t know at the time and it hasn’t influenced a single decision that I’ve taken.
The implication, Kay, is it somehow influences the decisions that I’m taking … I wasn’t aware that there was any relationship with a water company. Water wasn’t discussed even for one second at that event.
I’m doing the best by the public: The things that we said we do in the general election. My intention is to reset a failing water sector so it serves customers and the environment in a way it hasn’t done for decades.
Continue reading… The Guardian Read More Environment secretary Steve Reed says trip to US involving Labour staffers not paid for or organised by Labour partyOpinion in the commentator class is divided as to whether the Trump/Labour election interference row is just largely confected nonsense, or whether it is really quite serious. In his Inside Politics briefing for the Financial Times, Stephen Bush inclines to the latter view. Here is an excerpt.Keir Starmer is wholly correct when he says it is normal for Labour party staffers and former Labour party staffers to volunteer their own time in US presidential campaigns.But the big and important difference now is that Donald Trump is a very different kind of politician. In the unlikely event that Poilievre loses the next Canadian general election, Justin Trudeau, leader of the Liberals, would not freeze out a Jenrick-led British government. Clinton and John Major worked well on a range of issues, as did Tony Blair and George W Bush. Trump is mercurial, unpredictable and chaotic.There was nobody from a water company that was involved in offering those tickets. There was nobody from a water company at that event.I probably wouldn’t, but I didn’t know at the time and it hasn’t influenced a single decision that I’ve taken.The implication, Kay, is it somehow influences the decisions that I’m taking … I wasn’t aware that there was any relationship with a water company. Water wasn’t discussed even for one second at that event.I’m doing the best by the public: The things that we said we do in the general election. My intention is to reset a failing water sector so it serves customers and the environment in a way it hasn’t done for decades. Continue reading…
