WH 24 is now over, and the campaign teams are being wound down. Popping up in the campaign were various Brits seeking to give assistance to our transatlantic friends, Labour famously promised to send a troop of election helpers to the Democrats and Nigel Farage had job conflict between Clacton and Mar a Lago. The consensus of the British political class is that this is no big thing and campaigning across the pond is an established tradition. All well and good.

However, what cuts one way also cuts the other. The US has of course participated in UK elections over the years. Obama’s back of the queue remarks during the Brexit campaign are probably the most obvious event of recent times. So, it would be fair to say the yanks are coming at some point in the near future.

Will this time be different though ? Usually, cross campaigning is carried out subtly  – Labour shot themselves in the foot by publicising what they were doing. But Trump is anything but subtle and Nigel Farage his best mate in the UK has a chance of being PM given the fault lines in our politics. If PM seems farfetched holding the balance of power in a stalemate Parliament is less so.

So, could we have a well-funded Reform campaign backed by insider knowledge of media techniques , voter contact and messaging ? Not necessarily fronted by Trump but Musk and his social media are hardly fans of Starmer. With dissatisfied voters across the UK spectrum there are a lot of votes looking a home. The Republicans are perhaps now more naturally at home with Reform than they are with the Conservatives. Overt interference is probably counter productive a stream of GOP frat boys isn’t going to convince UK voters. But quiet assistance in campaigning structure, funding and voter targeting could be ground changing for Reform. Will this put a new perspective on the next UK election ? It’s not as if our UK parties can justifiably complain as what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.

Alanbrooke