Donald Trump has offered his assessment of Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a leading contender to succeed the outgoing Labour premier. Trump described Burnham as "extremely liberal" and the "the mayor of a town," while admitting he has limited knowledge of him.
Trump reiterated his criticisms of current energy policies, specifically regarding North Sea oil drilling, a topic he frequently raised in relation to the outgoing leader. "I hear he's extremely liberal, extremely, so that means he probably won't open up the North Sea," Trump stated at the White House.
He previously voiced strong opinions on energy policy, writing on Truth Social that the outgoing premier "failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!)". Trump suggested that opening up the North Sea for oil exploration would be beneficial, citing interest from oil companies and Norway's substantial sovereign wealth fund derived from its own oil resources. "The North Sea is loaded. I have had every oil company come to see me 'Sir. could you give us access to the UK? We would do anything to drill in the North Sea'," he said.
Burnham has previously characterized Trump's politics as "poisonous" and expressed concern about the direction of the United States. His potential policy platform is not fully defined, but has included hints of wealth taxes and nationalizations.
Reports indicate a potential similarity in operational strategy between Burnham and Trump, with Burnham reportedly considering moving part of his Downing Street operation to Manchester, mirroring Trump's practice of dividing his time between his Mar-a-Lago estate and Washington D.C.
The outgoing premier announced his resignation following internal party dissent, a move Trump commented on, stating, "this is not Winston Churchill, that I can tell you."
Trump also noted past interactions with the outgoing leader, describing him as "a lovely man" and "sort of a friend of mine," but maintained his critique on energy policy. "You have windmills all over the place... In the meantime, you have the North Sea oil and they won't let anybody drill," Trump explained.
Disagreements over defense policy were also reported between the outgoing leader and Burnham, particularly in the lead-up to a NATO summit. Despite these reports, the outgoing premier stated during Prime Minister's Questions that he was "very pleased" with Burnham's return to the Commons.
During parliamentary exchanges, the outgoing leader faced criticism regarding his resignation, with one member of Parliament remarking on him being surrounded by "traitors and deserters" and questioning his achievements if his position was so untenable. Another exchange involved criticism of the Chancellor's actions following the resignation announcement and a pointed critique of Ed Miliband, who is being considered for a role in Burnham's potential government, referencing past political rivalries.