1 hour ago Donald Trump has fixed his archetypal nationalist absorption to Andy Burnham, describing him arsenic an "extremely liberal" person who "probably won't unfastened up" the North Sea for further lipid and state drilling.
He besides labelled the erstwhile Greater Manchester mayor, and antheral astir apt to beryllium the UK's adjacent premier minister, arsenic "the politician of a town".
Burnham's squad person declined to remark connected the US president's remarks.
The caller MP for Makerfield is truthful acold the lone campaigner successful the contention to regenerate Sir Keir Starmer arsenic Labour Party person and premier minister.
Trump's involution underscores that the question of however to grip the US president would beryllium 1 of the large challenges of Burnham's premiership.
As politician of Greater Manchester, helium has mostly avoided commenting connected overseas policy.
In a agelong vocation arsenic a Labour curate and shadiness minister, earlier becoming mayor, helium has ever focused connected home argumentation areas.
Some supporters of Burnham are keen for him to proceed doing that – adjacent astatine a clip of planetary turmoil – if helium becomes premier minister. Much of Sir Keir's clip has been consumed by planetary issues.
The UK is hosting the G20 acme of satellite leaders adjacent year, arsenic good arsenic the smaller G7 gathering the twelvemonth aft – some of which Trump would attend.
Like galore Labour politicians, Burnham has been captious of Trump successful the past.
In 2017 helium told the Manchester Evening News,, external helium would garbage to conscionable the US president arsenic a "matter of principle" if helium were to sojourn Manchester during a planned authorities visit, accusing him of sharing "hateful extremist material" online.
He besides called connected the premier curate astatine the clip Theresa May to retreat her invitation of a authorities visit.
In 2021, pursuing riots astatine the US Capitol, he posted connected X:, external "Any UK person who gave Trump the clip of time should beryllium ashamed close now."
And successful 2016, he jokingly said, external helium blamed Trump for American crowds who had made the Ryder Cup play tourney "almost unwatchable".
During his run to beryllium the Makerfield MP, helium described US authorities arsenic "polarised" and "poisonous".
Despite having antecedently condemned Trump, immoderate Labour ministers were capable to forge adjacent relationships with members of his medication - notably David Lammy who, arsenic overseas secretary, built a relationship with US Vice President JD Vance.
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