A Cabinet minister has downplayed past criticisms of Donald Trump by the current Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, stating that these will not hinder their relationship. Bridget Phillipson told Sky News ahead of Burnham's first face-to-face meeting with Trump at the UN general assembly in New York that political differences are normal and do not affect long-standing cooperation between the UK and the US on issues like intelligence sharing and defense. Earlier, Burnham had been critical of Trump, expressing opposition to his state visit to Britain and suggesting a ban on him visiting Manchester when he was mayor there.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Wes Streeting, Britain’s defence secretary, announced that annual payments worth at least £120 million to Mauritius are on hold as the government reconsiders an agreement over the Chagos Islands. This decision came after Donald Trump criticized the deal during a meeting with Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the UN General Assembly in New York. The original agreement would see the UK cede sovereignty of the territory to Mauritius and pay approximately £101 million annually to lease back a joint UK-US military base on Diego Garcia, which is strategically important due to its location in the Indian Ocean.
Streeting emphasized that the deal cannot proceed without US support, highlighting the need for cooperation with American allies to ensure the agreement safeguards the long-term future of the base at Diego Garcia. The defence secretary noted that previous efforts to adapt the deal have not succeeded, and current negotiations are focused on reaching an arrangement that both Mauritius and the US can accept.
Written for “Chagos Islands Deal” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 38 other(s) covering the same event.
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Andy Burnham's past social media rants about Donald Trump will be 'no bar' to the two men having a strong relationship, a Cabinet minister insisted today.
asserted
minister → see → relationship
The Prime Minister is set to hold his first face-to-face meeting with the US President at the United Nations general assembly in New York on Tuesday.
asserted
Minister → set → Tuesday
Prior to becoming PM, Mr Burnham was fiercely critical of Mr Trump and claimed UK politicians should be 'ashamed' of dealing with him.
asserted
politicians → become → him
He also once suggested he would ban the 'highly divisive' US President from Manchester when he was the city's mayor.
uncertain
he → suggest → Manchester
But, speaking to Sky News ahead of Mr Burnham's meeting with Mr Trump, Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson brushed off the PM's past remarks as 'politics'.
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Phillipson → speak → politics
Challenged about Mr Burnham's previous criticism of the US President, the women and equalities minister said: 'What you've just described there is politics.
'
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described → challenge → What
The President knows that.
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President → know → that
People will express views at different points on different topics.
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People → express → topics
And that's no bar to having a strong relationship.
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that → have → relationship
'The reason that matters is because the US is someone that is essential to our ability to share intelligence, to work together on defence, whether that's Ukraine and much, much more besides.
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that → matter → defence
Andy Burnham's past social media rants about Donald Trump will be 'no bar' to the two men having a strong relationship, a Cabinet minister insisted today
The Prime Minister is set to hold his first face-to-face meeting with the US President at the United Nations general assembly in New York on Tuesday
Ahead of Mr Burnham's meeting with Mr Trump, Cabinet minister Bridget Phillipson brushed off the PM's past remarks as 'politics'
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Phillipson → have → politics
Ms Phillipson added: 'That will be at the forefront of Andy Burnham's mind when he meets President Trump face to face.
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he → add → face
'We don't have the same political outlook, but the relationship between the UK and the US goes beyond any one president, any one prime minister.
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relationship → have → president
It's something that has stood the test of time over many centuries despite political differences.
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that → stand → differences
They come and go.
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They → come → ?
What matters most is the British national interest.
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matters → matter → ?
And that's what Andy Burnham will deliver for our country.'
In April 2019, during Mr Trump's first term as US President, Mr Burnham said 'many different communities' in Britain would be feeling 'deeply unsettled' by the American leader's upcoming state visit to the UK.
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communities → deliver → UK
'There are many people who live in this country who will be deeply troubled by this visit,' Mr Burnham said at the time.
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Burnham → be → time
The then-Greater Manchester mayor added that he 'wouldn't welcome' a visit to Manchester by Mr Trump as it would be 'highly divisive and cause real protests on our streets'.
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it → add → streets
In 2021, on the day of the US Capitol attack on 6 January that year, Mr Burnham claimed UK politicians should be 'ashamed' of dealing with Mr Trump
In his 2019 comments to the Manchester Evening News, Mr Burnham did appear to perform a partial U-turn on his previous declaration that he would refuse to meet Mr Trump at all.
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he → claim → Trump
Mr Burnham said that he would talk to Mr Trump, but only to call him out.
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he → say → him
In further criticism of Mr Trump in 2021, on the day of the US Capitol attack on 6 January that year, Mr Burnham claimed UK politicians should be 'ashamed' of dealing with the US President.
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politicians → claim → President
'Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now,' Mr Burnham posted on Twitter at the time.
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Burnham → give → time
In June, during Mr Burnham's successful bid to replace Keir Starmer as PM following his victory in the Makerfield by-election, Mr Trump labelled Mr Burnham as 'extremely liberal'.
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Trump → replace → Burnham
Asked what he knew about Mr Burnham, the US President said: 'I don't know, I think I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town.'
Prior to becoming PM, Mr Burnham indicated he would be willing to disagree with Mr Trump but would try to 'meet him where he's at' while 'respecting the office'.
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he → ask → office
Mr Burnham spoke to Mr Trump on the phone on his first day as PM, during which he invited the US President to Manchester for the G20 summit next year.
asserted
he → speak → summit
The Aporia
