Donald Trump has said he is "very impressed" with Andy Burnham as he repeated his claims that the Prime Minister had indicated he would open up the North Sea to drilling.
Trump's Comments from the White House
Speaking from the White House, Trump said: "I spoke to him and he sounded terrific on this subject. You open it up you'll be a wealthy country. You keep it closed you'll be a bankrupt country, which is what you are now. Essentially you're a bankrupt country."
He added: "I spoke with your new Prime Minister and I was very impressed and he sort of indicated to me."
Burnham's Response
Last Wednesday, the US President said he'd been given the impression by the PM that he would "open up" the oil field - something Trump has been demanding for months.
But today Mr Burnham would only say he'd indicated to the President that he'd be "pragmatic" about North Sea drilling. "I indicated in the phone call that we had a week last Monday that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention as we go forward from here," he said.
