New British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has vowed to challenge Trump if Britain’s interests are at stake | Today’s news
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would not hesitate to publicly disagree with US President Donald Trump if it was necessary to protect Britain’s national interests.
In his first major interview since taking office, Burnham told the BBC that his initial interview with Trump had gone well, describing the US president as “really warm”.
However, when asked twice if he trusted Trump, Burnham did not give a straight answer, saying the world is constantly changing and that situations must be assessed as they develop. He added that he could not rule out expressing a different view to Trump in the future if he believed it was in Britain’s best interests.
“At no time can I say that I will not have a different opinion from him (Trump), that I will have to express a different idea that is right for Britain,” he declared, noting: “My strength is to stay close to the people, close to the public, that will not change as prime minister.”
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Burnham went on to say, “You have to defend your own national interest before anything else. That’s what you have to do if you want to do this job right.”
Burnham on Hormuz, Defense and Security
The British prime minister, meanwhile, said he was “concerned” by Trump’s decision to start a conflict with Iran, stressing that he “doesn’t hesitate to say what I think is right.”
He also assured Trump that Britain would remain committed to defense and security and support efforts to ensure the safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to a statement from Burnham’s office on Monday.
A Downing Street spokesman said that during the call, which took place shortly after Burnham took over as prime minister, he reaffirmed his commitment to defense and security.
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“The prime minister … underlined his commitment to defense and security and said that ensuring the security of the UK and its allies is at the top of his agenda,” the spokesman said in a reading of the interview, according to Reuters.
“The President then briefed on the situation in the Middle East and the Prime Minister outlined the UK’s commitment to keeping shipping moving in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and reduce costs for businesses and families across the country,” he added.
What did Burnham say about British defense spending?
According to the BBC, Burnham refused to set a timetable for increasing UK defense spending to 3% of GDP. The issue was a sticking point for his new chancellor, John Healey, who resigned from the previous government after arguing that the UK would not be safe unless it committed to increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP by 2030.
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Responding to the issue, Burnham said: “I appointed my new chancellor who was very conscious of what he said about the critical importance of defense spending and the position he took on it.”
“The first challenge we both face is ensuring that the defense investment plan is fully funded, and that’s the thing that’s right in front of us and we have to work through that when we go to the budget later this year,” he said.
When pressed again on whether his government would commit to increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP, the British prime minister remarked: “We have to figure out a way to do that.”
Burnham also firmly ruled out an early general election before 2029 for the first time, saying: “I’m ruling it out… I don’t think the people want that.” He added that his priority was to “get the country back to where it should be”.
