Voting draws to a close as Donald Trump and Kamala Harris vie for US presidency

The neck-and-neck contention volition person a sweeping interaction connected planetary politics, including successful the UK wherever Sir Keir Starmer’s Government whitethorn person to grapple with upheaval successful America’s information and defence attack if Mr Trump wins.

The Government has been moving hard to triumph implicit the Republican campaigner successful lawsuit helium is re-elected, aft a trans-Atlantic spat developed successful caller weeks implicit Labour Party volunteers heading to the US to run for his rival.

Sir Keir is expected to beryllium pursuing the results of the US election, but his authoritative spokesperson did not accidental whether the Prime Minister would beryllium staying up overnight to ticker the results rotation in.

Some Cabinet ministers person successful the past made scathing criticisms of Mr Trump portion Labour was successful opposition, including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who successful 2017 called Mr Trump an “odious, sad, small man” successful a societal media post.

Though Labour and Mr Trump “may not beryllium ideological bedfellows”, if helium is elected “there volition beryllium a truly bully moving relationship”, the Health Secretary told LBC.

The Republican campaigner would apt illustration a caller US people connected large conflicts successful Ukraine and the Middle East, areas wherever Sir Keir has mostly followed the pb of US President Joe Biden.

Dr Leslie Vinjamuri, the manager astatine Chatham House’s US and Americas programme, told the PA quality bureau Mr Trump would propulsion European Nato members to hike their defence spending commitments, arsenic good arsenic calling for a bid woody betwixt Ukraine and Russia.

A pro-Israel stance successful the Middle East struggle which whitethorn not instrumentality into relationship the Palestinians is besides apt to clash with British overseas policy.

“The bottommost line, if there’s a Trump administration, is connected the information beforehand determination is going to beryllium a request to walk much and to enactment up,” Dr Vinjamuri said.

A Harris presidency would beryllium much apt to worth the long-standing UK-US narration arsenic “trusted allies”, the adept said, but added determination was nary warrant she would beryllium a continuity Biden fig owed to the “transitional” play of struggle and turmoil crossed the globe.

Former Conservative premier curate Boris Johnson has meantime weighed successful connected the American election, claiming it is simply a “beautiful thing” not to cognize what volition hap erstwhile the votes are counted.

Appearing arsenic a impermanent connected Channel 4’s US Election coverage, helium said: “Nobody knows what is going to happen, it’s a fantastic thing, it’s a beauteous happening due to the fact that determination are countries wherever they person antiauthoritarian elections wherever they cognize afloat good what is going to happen.”

But Mr Johnson besides voiced concerns astir what the effect mightiness mean for planetary affairs, adding: “The happening that truly worries maine close present is Ukraine and the aboriginal of ideology successful that country. I deliberation determination is simply a hazard immoderate happens successful this predetermination that determination volition beryllium a catastrophe successful Ukraine.”

In cardinal London, Democrat supporters surviving successful the UK appeared assured their efforts to “get retired the vote” of Americans overseas was “second to none”.

Democrats Abroad UK seat Kristin Wolfe told PA: “This is happening each implicit the satellite – we are turning retired overseas voters.

“We’re going to triumph this thing.”

So-called plaything states specified arsenic Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania – wherever the results volition beryllium adjacent – are the areas wherever the Democrats and Republicans person focused their campaigning successful caller days.

Under the US voting system, a full of 270 votes successful what is known arsenic the electoral assemblage are needed to triumph the statesmanlike election.

Ms Harris narrowly leads Mr Trump successful the last prediction by YouGov up of the US election, with the pollster predicting she has 240 electoral votes, Trump 218, portion a further 80 stay uncertain.

Key issues successful the contention to beryllium the adjacent US president see information connected the US’s confederate borderline with Mexico, termination rights and reducing inflation.