Prime Minister Andy Burnham has defended his past remarks about Donald Trump by claiming the US president has "said things as well."
Asked by Channel 5 News about his claims as Greater Manchester mayor that Mr Trump would not be welcome in the city and that he had a "poisonous" politics, Mr Burnham replied: "Well, he's said things as well, and everyone says things as politicians. In the moment you meet people where they're at, and you find a connection with people, and that's always been my style."
PM's Approach to Working with Trump
He continued: "I've had a habit of saying what I feel over the years and I'll continue to do that. But, at the same time, I am somebody who works with people, tries to find common ground, and obviously that's what I should be doing in this job in the British public's interest, and I will always take that approach."
The 56-year-old added: "So, I'm looking forward actually to my first meeting. We had a good phone call on my first day in office and looking forward to meeting in person."
Past Criticism and Current Plans
Speaking to the M.E.N. in 2017, shortly after Trump won his first term as US President, Mr Burnham said: "It is a matter of principle that I don't meet people who distribute hateful, extremist material. Donald Trump's presence in Greater Manchester would go against the values that people here stand for."
Earlier this month, Mr Trump said he thinks he and the Prime Minister are "going to have a very good relationship," while also claiming Britain is currently "a bankrupt country."
Upcoming US Visit and Ukraine Talks
Mr Burnham is planning to join European leaders on a US trip in September to lobby for Ukraine's defence. If it goes ahead, it will be the Culcheth native's first US visit since taking over in No 10 in July.
In an interview with Bloomberg, the Makerfield MP said he was "looking forward to going to New York" next month, adding that details of the trip have not yet been "fully confirmed."
During the same interview, Mr Burnham said he felt "really confident" he could help fix the issue of US support for Ukraine. President Zelensky has repeatedly pleaded for more US-made Patriot interceptor missiles in recent months as Kyiv's stocks have diminished.
"There are other players who could help in the mix who we have influence with," Mr Burnham added. "It's probably going to be a solution that involves a lot of layers and a lot of negotiation."
He also issued a defiant response to Russia after war fears escalated this week after repeated Russian threats to the UK.
The Prime Minister is among several prominent Government figures to have previously criticised Mr Trump. Earlier this month, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband denied his previous criticism of "racist" Donald Trump had harmed relations with the White House. Mr Miliband insisted his past comments about the US president "didn't come up" in talks with Marco Rubio at the US State Department, which he described as "very productive."
