British Premier Burnham heads to New York for first major test of diplomacy

Andy Burnham is heading to New York for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump as the Prime Minister attends his first major gathering of world leaders.

He boarded his plane at Stansted to travel to the United Nations General Assembly, where on Tuesday he will hold his first face-to-face talks with Trump, with Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East at the top of his agenda.

The two politicians have previously clashed sharply over policy, but are now seeking to establish a pragmatic working relationship.

In 2017, Burnham, then Mayor of Greater Manchester, said the president would not be welcome in the city. Two years later, he stated he would refuse to meet Trump if he visited.

Burnham has continued to criticize Trump in recent years, describing American politics as "polarized" and "poisonous" while campaigning in Makerfield this month.

During the storming of the U.S. Capitol in 2021, Burnham posted on X: "Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now."

Since becoming prime minister in July, however, Burnham has stressed the importance of finding areas of agreement with political opponents, saying he always tries to find "common ground."

Trump has described Burnham as "a nice guy," while also recently needling UK officials by expressing support for Irish unification and musing about the future of the Falkland Islands, which are claimed by both Britain and Argentina.

Labour Party chairwoman Bridget Phillipson said Burnham would take a "pragmatic" approach to relations with Washington.

"We won't agree with the US administration on everything," Phillipson told Times Radio on Sunday. "We are from different political traditions, we have different approaches. But maintaining that relationship is critical for our national interest and I know that that's the approach Andy Burnham will always take, putting our country first."

Trump has previously described him as an "extremely liberal" politician who "probably won't open up" the North Sea for further oil and gas drilling.

Critics of Burnham argue that he lacks extensive experience in foreign policy, while Trump is seen as potentially more receptive to him because of his business-friendly approach.

Burnham defines that approach as "business-friendly socialism," balancing active state intervention with strategic support for the private sector.

He has maintained strong relationships with the business community, while his regulatory policies have drawn both praise and criticism.