Andy Burnham said he had a "good exchange" with Donald Trump but stopped short of saying he trusts him. He emphasised that defending Britain’s national interest comes first and that he would publicly challenge Trump if required. Burnham also voiced concern about the prospect of a US strike on Iran and vowed to speak out when he believes it is right. He took office on July 20 as the first Labour and Co‑operative Party MP to become prime minister.
UK PM Andy Burnham: 'Good Exchange' With Trump — Will Stand Up If Britain’s Interests Require It
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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he is prepared to challenge US President Donald Trump when Britain’s national interest requires it. In a wide-ranging interview, Burnham described a recent telephone conversation with the US president as a "good exchange" and said he remains optimistic about the future of transatlantic relations.
Speaking to the BBC, Burnham — who took office on July 20 — said he had phoned Donald Trump and found the US president to be "really warm." When pressed by journalists on whether he would trust Trump, Burnham declined to give a simple yes-or-no answer, observing: "It's a changing world, isn't it, and you just obviously have to call things as they develop."
Burnham made clear that close relations with other leaders would not prevent him from speaking out when necessary. "I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him [Trump], that I will need to voice a different idea that is right for Britain," he said, stressing that his political strength lies in "remaining close to people, close to the public."
"Of course," Burnham replied when asked whether he would publicly criticise Trump if he believed it to be the right thing to do. "You have to defend your own national interest before anything else. That's what you're required to do if you're to do this job properly."
He also expressed "concern" about the possibility of Trump launching a military strike on Iran, and said he "wouldn't hold back from saying" what he believes is right on such matters.
Burnham is the first MP from the Labour and Co‑operative Party to hold the office of prime minister, succeeding Keir Starmer. His predecessor's administration had been weakened by policy reversals and heavy losses in local elections.
Originally reported by Namrata Ghosh for Mandatory; this story first appeared on Reality Tea.
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