Andy Burnham has said he would be prepared to call out Donald Trump to defend Britain's "national interest before anything else" if it is the right thing to do, in his first major interview as prime minister. Speaking exclusively to the BBC, Burnham described his first exchange with the US president as "really warm", but when asked twice if he would trust Trump, he declined to say yes, instead answering: "It's a changing world isn't it, and you just obviously have to call things as they develop."
The prime minister’s remarks come as Trump is set to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Tuesday to discuss Iran, Lebanon and the Abraham Accords – a meeting that Trump allies fear will pull the US deeper into war with Iran. Burnham acknowledged he had had "concern" about the president starting the conflict with Iran, and said he "wouldn't hold back from saying what I think is right."
“Burnham says he would call out Trump to defend UK interests, amid concern over Iran conflict.”
In the interview, to be broadcast in full on Monday, Burnham said: "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." Asked directly if he would call out Trump if it was the right thing, he replied, "of course", adding: "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."
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp responded: "Clearly, the US is a long standing ally. We need to have good relations with them but if they do something we disagree with, we should honestly say so."
Burnham also faced questions on defence spending. His chancellor, John Healey, resigned from the previous government saying that unless a commitment was made to spend 3% of GDP on defence by 2030, the country would not be safe. But Burnham would not commit to a date for reaching that target. "I appointed my new chancellor very aware of what he had said about the critical importance of defence spending and the position that he had taken about that," 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."
Pressed again specifically on the 3% commitment, he said: "We've got to work out the way of doing that." The prime minister insisted his strength lies in "remaining close to people, close to the public", adding: "That will not change as prime minister." But with the US president deepening involvement in the Middle East and a defence spending pledge hanging in the balance, the question of how Burnham balances standing up to Trump with protecting Britain's interests remains unresolved.