UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he would be prepared to challenge US President Donald Trump if he believed Britain’s national interests were at risk, while stressing the importance of maintaining a strong relationship with Washington.
In his first major interview as prime minister, Burnham said he had enjoyed a positive first conversation with Trump, describing the US president as really warm. However, he added that he would not hesitate to express a different view if circumstances required it.
I can’t at any point say that I won’t take a different opinion from him. If I think that I will need to voice a different idea that is right for Britain, Burnham said, adding that defending Britain’s national interest was a priority of the office.
Burnham expressed concern over the recent conflict involving Iran, saying he would “not hold back from saying what I think is right” if necessary.
On defence spending, the prime minister declined to commit immediately to raising expenditure to 3% of GDP, despite previous pledges by members of his government. He said his newly appointed chancellor fully understood the importance of defence investment and that the issue would be considered as part of the government’s upcoming budget process.
Burnham also ruled out the possibility of calling an early general election, saying his priority was to focus on governing and getting the country back where it should be.
Responding to Burnham’s comments, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said the United States remained a longstanding ally and called for honest engagement while maintaining strong bilateral relations.
