Andy Burnham will insist the UK is not “on the slide” and attempt to draw a line under 10 years of post-Brexit turbulence as he makes his United Nations debut as Prime Minister.
He will address the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday after his first face-to-face talks with US President Donald Trump.
Burnham will say he has a “really upbeat message” about the UK, although he acknowledged there were long-term issues which needed to be addressed to improve living standards.
The Prime Minister’s trip to New York comes ahead of the Labour Party conference later this month, a crucial first Budget of his premiership in October and the unveiling of his 10-year plan for the country.
He told reporters accompanying him on the visit: “The plan for Britain is about ‘what is our direction over the next 10 years and how do we make life more affordable for people’. That is my main priority, that’s what people are looking for.”
Follow The i Paper’s live blog for all the latest.
UK agrees to provide military support to Saudi Arabia against Houthis
Andy Burnham has agreed to give military support to Saudi Arabia in its struggle against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Prime Minister said British planes will provide “defensive” air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets.
He said he made the decision after discussions with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband amid fears that the deepening Middle East crisis will add to cost pressures facing British households.
Speaking to reporters as he travelled to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister said: “We have received a request from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for military support.
“On the advice of the Defence Secretary and the Foreign Secretary, last night I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling. That’s the agreement we’ve given.”
The Iran-backed Houthis have secured a stranglehold over the Bab al-Mandab strait, a maritime chokepoint on the Red Sea, vital for traffic heading to Europe through the Suez Canal.
The Saudis have been targeting the Houthis, while the Yemeni group has been firing missiles at the oil-rich kingdom.
The UK mission will be limited to supporting Saudi aircraft defending the country from attack from drones and missiles rather than supporting strikes against the Houthis.
Burnham to meet Trump for first time as world leaders gather at UN
Andy Burnham is to meet Donald Trump for the first time as world leaders gather in New York for talks on the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and the rapid development of AI.
The Prime Minister and the US president will hold talks on Tuesday in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly meeting as the Ministry of Defence stepped up co-operation with American counterparts on the next generation of drones and autonomous systems.
Officials hope the talks will build on productive phone calls between the two leaders, but Burnham’s previous criticism of the president and Trump’s unpredictability, his recent comments about Irish unification and hostility to UK immigration and clean energy policies make it a diplomatically awkward challenge for the Prime Minister.
Burnham said he could “trust” the US president and the special relationship was as strong as ever.
Speaking to reporters accompanying him on the UN trip he said: “When you come into this job, you realise how deep this relationship is.
He added: “We trust our allies. Of course, we do.”
Asked if he trusted Trump personally the Prime Minister replied: “Yes.”
Burnham has been critical of the US president in the past, including saying – as rioters stormed the US Capitol in 2021 – that “any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now”.
Before their first conversation, Trump had suggested he knew little about Burnham beyond that he was “very liberal” and the mayor of a “town”.
Good morning – and welcome back
Welcome back to The i Paper’s live blog on Tuesday, 22 September.
It’s a major day for Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who will today meet US President Donald Trump for the first time in person.
The two leaders are due to sit down for talks at around 4pm UK time, before the Prime Minister speaks at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Officials hope the talks will build on productive phone calls between the two leaders, but Burnham’s previous criticism of the president and Trump’s unpredictability, his recent comments about Irish unification and hostility to UK immigration and clean energy policies make it a diplomatically awkward challenge for the Prime Minister.
Burnham said he could “trust” the US president and the special relationship was as strong as ever.
Meanwhile, Burnham last night confirmed he had agreed to give military support to Saudi Arabia in its struggle against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Prime Minister said British planes will provide “defensive” air-to-air refuelling for Saudi jets.
He said he made the decision after discussions with Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband amid fears that the deepening Middle East crisis will add to cost pressures facing British households.
We’ll have all the latest throughout the day.