Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is prepared to clash with Donald Trump if it is in Britain's national interest. In an interview with the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said he would publicly disagree with the US President if necessary. His predecessor, Keir Starmer, had a difficult relationship with Trump, who repeatedly criticised him over his refusal to allow the US to launch aggressive strikes on Iran from British bases.
Standing up for Britain's national interest
Mr Burnham told the programme: "I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him [Donald Trump], that I will need to voice a different idea that is right for Britain." He added: "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."
The two leaders spoke for the first time on Monday in a conversation Downing Street described as "extremely warm". Trump later posted on social media that Mr Burnham "has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it" and said the US "will be there to help".
No snap election
In the wide-ranging interview, the Prime Minister also ruled out calling a snap election. He told Ms Kuenssberg: "I'm going to rule it out... I don't think people want it." He went on: "I just think what I most need to do is get Britain focused on getting the country back where it should be, getting it working."
Mr Burnham declined to give a timetable for getting defence spending to 3% of the UK's GDP. He said he was very aware of Chancellor John Healey's position, having resigned as Defence Secretary from Mr Starmer's government in disagreement on the issue. Mr Burnham said: "The first challenge facing us both is to ensure that the defence investment plan is fully funded and that's the thing that's right in front of us and we need to work that through as we go towards the budget later this year."
New policy announcements
The new Prime Minister took office on Monday and has made a string of announcements on the cost of living and supporting pubs and live music venues. These include announcing VAT was being scrapped on household electricity bills, and the return of a £2 bus fare cap outside London. Pubs will benefit from a 20% business rate cut, Downing Street said, saving the average boozer more than £1,000 a year.
Writing for the Sunday Mirror, Mr Burnham claimed this week had shown how politicians could make lives a "little bit easier", but that his job won't be done until people aren't just living, but "living well". He said: "Life doesn't always go to plan. But whether someone gets the chance to get back on their feet says something about who we are. It says something about the country we're trying to build."
He added: "I want Britain to be a country where nobody is written off. Where everyone is treated with respect no matter who they are or what they've been through. And where the government doesn't avoid a problem because it's difficult, but rolls up its sleeves and gets to work."
"I want people to stop worrying and start feeling hopeful about what's coming next. I want them to start to believe in Britain again. But I can't ask people to dream about the future when they're struggling to make life work." He concluded: "Of course, there will still be those who say it can't be done. But we proved them wrong in Manchester. And we're going to prove them wrong again on a bigger scale. We are going to get Britain believing again - and bring back hope."
