The UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he is prepared to openly oppose US President Donald Trump’s policies or decisions if the national interest requires it. He made these remarks during his first major interview as British Prime Minister.
In a special interview with the British broadcaster BBC, Burnham said his initial interaction with Trump went very well, noting that he found Trump to be “very cordial.”
However, when asked twice whether he trusted the US President, the British Prime Minister did not give a direct answer. Sidestepping the question, he said, “The world is constantly changing, so you have to make decisions based on how situations unfold.”
“Expressing his ‘concern’ regarding President Trump initiating a conflict with Iran, Prime Minister Burnham made it clear that he would never hesitate to speak his mind on what he believes is right.”
The full interview is scheduled to air tomorrow, Monday. In the interview, Burnham said, “I certainly cannot say that I will never have a disagreement with him [Trump]. I might well need to express a different view if it is the right thing for Britain.”
Clarifying his political stance, Burnham said, “Staying close to ordinary people is my greatest strength. That habit will not change now that I am Prime Minister.”
When asked if he would speak out against Trump’s decisions if he felt it was right for the country, the new British Prime Minister replied, “Absolutely.” Justifying this stance, he added, “Above all else, you must protect your country’s national interest. If you want to fulfill that responsibility properly, that is your primary task.”
Expressing his “concern” regarding President Trump initiating a conflict with Iran, Prime Minister Burnham made it clear that he would never hesitate to speak his mind on what he believes is right. However, Prime Minister Burnham has declined to set a specific date or deadline for raising military spending to 3 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). His current Finance Minister, John Healey, had resigned during the tenure of the previous government; at that time, Healey’s stance was that the country would not remain secure unless this level of funding was allocated to defense by 2030.
“Staying close to ordinary people is my greatest strength. That habit will not change even after becoming Prime Minister.”
—Andy Burnham, UK’s new Prime Minister
In this context, Burnham said, “When appointing my new Chancellor (Finance Minister), I was fully aware of the importance of defense spending and his previous position on the matter. However, the immediate challenge facing both of us is securing the necessary funds for the defense investment plan. We must address this priority before the budget announcement later this year.”
When asked specifically again about the pledge to raise defense spending to 3 percent of GDP, Burnham gave a brief reply: “We have to find a way to do it.”
Meanwhile, Burnham has, for the first time, explicitly ruled out the possibility of holding an early general election before 2029. Citing a lack of public appetite for such a move, he stated, “I am completely ruling out the possibility of an early election… I do not think people want an election right now.”
In the interview, British Prime Minister Burnham indicated that rather than an early election, his entire focus is now on “restoring the country to where it needs to be.”
