Trump's Initial Reaction to Burnham
Former US President Donald Trump has publicly shared his views on Andy Burnham, the prospective UK Prime Minister. Trump described Burnham as an "extremely liberal" figure who would "probably won't open up" the North Sea for additional oil and gas drilling. He also referred to Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, as "the mayor of a town." Burnham's team has not issued a comment regarding Trump's statements.
Burnham's Potential Premiership and US Relations
Burnham, who is currently the sole candidate to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as Labour Party leader and Prime Minister, faces the significant challenge of managing relations with the US President, particularly given Trump's intervention. Throughout his career, including his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester and as a Labour minister, Burnham has primarily focused on domestic policy. Some of his supporters advocate for him to maintain this focus, even amidst global complexities, if he assumes the premiership.
Sir Keir Starmer's time as Prime Minister has been substantially consumed by international affairs, with the UK set to host the G20 summit next year and the G7 gathering the following year, both of which Trump would attend.
Past Criticisms of Trump
Burnham, like many Labour politicians, has previously voiced criticism of Donald Trump. In 2017, he stated he would decline to meet Trump as a "matter of principle" if the US President visited Manchester, accusing him of disseminating "hateful extremist material." He also urged then-Prime Minister Theresa May to withdraw her invitation for a state visit. Following the US Capitol riots in 2021, Burnham posted on X, "Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now." In 2016, he jokingly attributed the "almost unwatchable" nature of the Ryder Cup golf tournament to Trump. During his campaign for Makerfield MP, he characterized US politics as "polarised" and "poisonous."
Trump's Stance on UK Energy Policy
When questioned about Burnham's potential leadership, Trump remarked, "I hear he's extremely liberal, extremely, so that means he probably won't open up the North Sea." In American political discourse, "liberal" typically denotes individuals on the left or socialists, whereas in the UK, it traditionally referred to those opposing excessive government intervention. Trump has consistently criticized Sir Keir Starmer's government for prioritizing renewable energy over oil and gas exploration.
A key decision for Burnham's incoming administration will be whether to approve new North Sea gas fields, such as Jackdaw, east of Aberdeen, and Rosebank, off the Shetland Isles. Rachel Reeves, who is not expected to remain Chancellor under a Burnham premiership, has expressed support for approving significant new North Sea energy projects, stating, "I think the North Sea is a crucial asset and will be for years to come and am very keen to see us use that resource."
Trump further commented, "I gave Keir Starmer some pretty good advice. I said open up the North Sea, go to Aberdeen, which was the hottest city of the whole continent. It was the oil city of Europe, and they closed everything. It was terrible. I couldn't believe it."
Greenpeace, however, contends that additional drilling would not reduce energy bills and would instead increase carbon emissions. The Conservative party recently secured a by-election victory in Aberdeen South, campaigning on a platform supporting North Sea oil and gas drilling for job creation and energy security.