Boris Johnson and Dominic Raab refuse to condemn Donald Trump’s ‘fraud’ claim over US election

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Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Both Boris Johnson and foreign secretary Dominic Raab have refused to call out Donald Trump for alleging fraud in the US presidential elections.

But both contradicted the president’s premature claim to have won a second term in the White House, saying that they were confident the US system would  produce a definitive outcome as results came in.

Labour’s shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said it was “shameful” that the government was unable to condemn Mr Trump’s “deeply shocking” call for vote-counting to end in states like Pennsylvania, where the many postal ballots remaining to be tallied could make the difference between victory for the Republican incumbent or his Democrat challenger Joe Biden.

“It is a mark of how far we have fallen that we cannot stand up on a day like this and say democracy should be respected,” she said.

Ms Nandy said that a second term for Trump would be “in many ways incredibly bad for Britain”, adding: “There is no question in my mind that our national interest is very much bound up with a Biden victory.”

In the House of Commons, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called on Mr Johnson to join him in asserting that “it’s not for a candidate to decide which votes do and don’t count or when to stop counting”.

But the prime minister sidestepped the question, replying: “Of course, we don’t comment as a UK Government on the democratic processes of our friends and allies.”

His official spokesman later refused to be drawn on the issue, saying only: “We have full confidence in the checks and balances of the US system to produce a democratic result.”

The comments came after no clear winner emerged in the election after a night of vote-counting, with key swing states yet to declare.

Trump falsely claims he has won election and demands Supreme Court stops more ballots being counted

A winner may not be known until later this week as president signals court fight is coming

Despite trailing Mr Biden in electoral college votes, Mr Trump falsely claimed he had won the election in an incendiary speech at the White House, provoking outrage by suggesting he wanted all “voting to stop”.

Asked whether the UK government would “call out” the claims made by the US president, Mr Raab told the BBC: “It’s a very close election, we’re watching with great interest, it’s for the American people to decide.

“Ultimately, whatever the election night comments from either sides of the campaigns, I’m confident and have full faith in the US institutions and checks and balances in the US system that will produce a definitive result.

Pressed on Mr Trump’s unevidenced accusations that there had been “fraud on the American nation” and threat to go to the Supreme Court to get vote counting stopped, Mr Raab added: “You’re asking me to comment on the campaign commentary from both sides and indeed the pundits, which forgive me, I’ll refrain from doing.

“It’s a very close election, it’s uncertain, we may not know the definitive results for hours if not days.”

Branding Mr Raab’s response “shameful”, Ms Nandy said the cabinet minister should “stand up robustly and defend the right of American citizens to free and fair elections”.

She added: “In the last few months Dominic Raab has spoken out very clearly about attempts to undermine democracy by China and Hong Kong, attempts by Russia to undermine democracy in Belarus.

“To not stand up for the rights of people in the world’s most powerful democracy to have their votes counted and to have their voices heard was a sign of how far this government has diminished Britain on the world stage.”

And Mr Raab’s predecessor at the Foreign Office, Jeremy Hunt, also addressed a message to the US, saying: “The reputation of democracy is at stake and the world is watching. Please proceed carefully.”

However, despite Mr Trump’s claim – “frankly, we did win this election” – Mr Raab also told Sky News: “It’s a close election – I don’t think there’s a clear result yet. We’ll see how this plays out. I think it’s going to be a very close race. We may not get a definitive result for hours if not days.

“We’re confident the American system has the checks and balances to give a definitive result.”

Mr Trump has been a staunch supporter of Brexit, leading some observers to think that Downing Street would not welcome victory for Biden, who has made clear that Mr Johnson’s much-cherished US trade deal would be dependent on the Northern Ireland peace process continuing unscathed by the UK’s departure from the EU.

However, the PM has differences with Trump on a range of foreign policy issues, from Iranian sanctions to the World Health Organisation and support for the Paris Agreement on climate change, and some observers believe he would welcome a president more committed to maintaining the rules-based  system of world order.

Former prime minister Theresa May said whoever won the election had to tackle climate change – on the day Mr Trump’s decision to pull the US out of the Paris accord took effect.

She said: “We will soon know who will be the next US president. But, sadly, today also marks the US leaving the Paris accord — the world’s foremost attempt to build consensus on climate change.

“Whoever is elected has an immense responsibility to help tackle our planet’s greatest challenge.”

Mr Raab insisted the UK-US relationship would endure whoever wins the presidential election.

“Depending on who is in the White House there’s always slightly different contours, opportunities and risks for the relationship,” said the foreign secretary.

“But come what may, I’m very confident the bedrock of our economic ties, our security cooperation, our shared values will mean the friendship, the strength of economic ties, cultural ties and shared interests – I’m very confident the relationship will go from strength to strength.”

He said he was "very confident that regardless of whether it's a Republican or a Democrat win the British-US relationship is in great shape".

Mr Johnson’s spokesman told reporters: “The US is our closest ally and we are confident that the relationship will go from strength to strength whichever candidate wins the election.”