Sir Keir Starmer has lost hope of meeting Kamala Harris before the US election next month despite previously hoping to do so, it is understood.

The Prime Minister met with Donald Trump in New York last month while attending the UN General Assembly but was unable to meet the Democratic presidential nominee.

There are understood to be no plans for Sir Keir and the US vice president to meet ahead of the November 5 ballot.

Sir Keir had said last month that it would be "very good to meet both of them at some stage before the election".

The Prime Minister has likely been spared from an awkward encounter after Mr Trump’s campaign claimed the Labour Party had “made, and the Harris campaign has accepted, illegal foreign national contributions”.

The complaint follows reports of senior Labour officials meeting with Ms Harris’ campaign, and Labour Party staffers volunteering on the ground for her.

When asked if it was a mistake for senior staffers to have met with the Harris campaign, Sir Keir insisted any members of his party were in the US on an entirely voluntary basis, similar to in previous elections.

“That’s what they’ve done in previous elections, is what they’re doing in this election. And that’s really straightforward,” he told reporters as he travelled to Samoa for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders.

Pressed further about whether Labour officials’ involvement in the Harris-Waltz Democrat campaign could jeopardise his relationship with Mr Trump if the ex-president wins re-election, Sir Keir replied: “No.”

He added: “I spent time in New York with President Trump, had dinner with him, and my purpose in doing that was to make sure that between the two of us we established a good relationship, which we did, and I was very grateful to him for making the time.”

After describing the meeting as a “good, constructive discussion”, Sir Keir added: “Of course as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, I will work with whoever the American people return as their president in the elections that are very close now.”