British Prime Minister Andy Burnham extended an invitation to U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Manchester during their first phone call since Burnham took office. The conversation marked one of Burnham's initial tasks as the United Kingdom's seventh Prime Minister in a decade.
Sources indicate the call could have been awkward, given Burnham's history of strong criticism of the U.S. President. In the past, Trump has referred to Burnham as "extremely liberal" and "the mayor of a town."
During their discussion, Burnham reportedly invited Trump to Manchester, where Burnham previously served as mayor and plans to establish a northern Downing Street office. A source told Politico that Trump expressed interest in accepting the invitation. This offer comes despite Burnham's past statements suggesting Trump would not be welcome in the city.
In April 2019, during Trump's first term as U.S. President, Burnham stated that many communities in Britain would be "deeply unsettled" by Trump's upcoming state visit to the UK. At the time, Burnham said he "wouldn't welcome" a visit to Manchester by Trump, calling it "highly divisive and cause real protests on our streets."
Burnham has also criticized Trump in the past, notably on January 6, 2021, the day of the U.S. Capitol attack, when he claimed British politicians should be "ashamed" of dealing with Trump. "Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now," Burnham posted on Twitter.
Last month, as Burnham was projected to succeed Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Trump characterized Burnham as "extremely liberal" and questioned his understanding of energy policy, suggesting he "probably won't open up the North Sea."
However, Trump later claimed on his Truth Social platform that Burnham had stated he would open up North Sea oil production. Trump, a proponent of fossil fuels, asserted that further drilling would transform the United Kingdom from a "Poverty Stricken Disaster" to "one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World."
Burnham's deputy, Lucy Powell, had previously stated that Burnham would adhere to the Labour Party's manifesto commitments regarding the North Sea while adopting a "more pragmatic approach." The 2024 Labour manifesto stated the party would not issue new North Sea licenses, arguing they would not lower bills or improve energy security while accelerating climate change. However, Burnham is reportedly "open-minded" on the policy and could potentially approve projects at existing fields like Jackdaw and Rosebank without issuing new licenses.
Prior to becoming Prime Minister, Burnham indicated a willingness to engage with Trump, stating he would "meet him where he's at" while "respecting the office." He told podcast host Gary Lineker last week, "I'll just meet him where he's at... I think he likes people to deal with him."