Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he is prepared to publicly oppose any policy or decision of U.S. President Donald Trump if he believes it is necessary to protect the national interest of the United Kingdom.
In his first major interview since becoming prime minister, Burnham made the remarks during an exclusive interview with the BBC, emphasizing that while maintaining a strong relationship with the United States remains important, Britain’s own interests will always come first.
Burnham said his first conversation with President Trump was positive, describing the U.S. leader as “very sincere” during their discussion.
However, when asked how much confidence he placed in Trump, the British prime minister avoided giving a direct answer. Even after being asked the same question twice, he said the global situation is changing rapidly and that decisions must be made according to circumstances and timing.
“Britain’s relationship with the United States is important, but the national interest of the UK will remain my highest priority,” Burnham said. “If necessary, I will not hesitate to take a different position when it is the right thing to do for the country.”
He added, “I cannot say that I will never disagree with President Trump. Where something is right for Britain, I must be willing to express a different view.”
Referring to tensions between the United States and Iran, Burnham said he had concerns about the situation and made clear that he would not hesitate to voice his position if he believed a particular issue was not in the right direction.
The prime minister also described his close connection with ordinary citizens as one of his political strengths, saying he intends to maintain regular engagement with the public despite holding the highest government office.
Asked directly whether he would oppose a decision by Trump if Britain’s national interest required it, Burnham replied, “Absolutely.” He explained that the primary responsibility of any government leader is to safeguard the interests of the country.
Meanwhile, Burnham declined to set a specific timeline for fulfilling the commitment to increase defense spending to 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Earlier, his Defence Secretary John Healey had warned that failing to reach that level of spending by 2030 could create security risks.
Burnham said both he and the finance minister understand the importance of increased investment in defence. However, he noted that the immediate challenge is securing the necessary funding, and a solution must be found before the budget announcement later this year.
Asked again about raising defence spending to 3 percent of GDP, Burnham said, “We need to find a way to do that.”
Meanwhile, he firmly rejected the possibility of calling an early general election before 2029. Saying that the public does not want another election at present, Burnham said his priority is to restore the country to the position people expect.
As the fifth British prime minister in four years, Burnham faces major challenges, including economic pressures, national security concerns, and rebuilding public confidence.
Source: BBC