Trump doesn't like Burnham, and Burnham doe

According to Donald Trump, likely Labour leadership replacement Andy Burnham is a signal that “the UK is dying”. As far as we’re concerned, that’s the biggest vote of confidence the newly-minted Makerfield MP has gotten so far.

The US dictator made his first public comments on Burnham on 24 June, during a meeting with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte. When asked what he knew of the former Manchester mayor, Trump said:

I don’t know, I think I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town.

England’s second city, but we guess that doesn’t mean much when you consider yourself the rightful owner of the Western Hemisphere.

Trump thinks Burnham is ‘extremely liberal’

Regarding Burnham, Trump went on:

I hear he’s extremely liberal, extremely, so that means he probably won’t open up the North Sea.

Ranting about North Sea oil exploitation is a common occupation of Trump’s. However, some Labour MPs, the director of the British Chambers of Commerce and (shamefully) the unions Unite and GMB have put pressure on Burnham this week to exploit North Sea Oil.

Of course, given that we’re currently experiencing the hottest June day on record, extracting climate wrecking crude oil looks like a particularly ridiculous prospect right now.

To the Canary’s knowledge, Burnham himself hasn’t yet offered an opinion on the UK’s North Sea reserves. However, it wouldn’t be the first time Trump demonstrated prescience regarding No. 10’s political maneuverings. Here’s hoping he’s right about this one too – odd as it feels to say that.

Support for the war on Iran

Secretary-general Mark Rutte was visiting Washington because Trump has remained sour on NATO over what he saw as a lack of support in his war on Iran. However, Rutte pointed out that:

When you look at the numbers, four to five thousand US planes [were] taking off from bases in Europe in the six weeks this war took place.

I know there have been isolated cases about which you are really disappointed, but generally speaking, your European allies have been there.

Given that the US-Israel war on Iran is an illegal act of aggression, you might think Rutte would be more careful about admitting guilt there. However, it’s not like NATO ever thought the rules applied to Southwest Asia anyway.

Meanwhile, Starmer’s time as PM has either seen him sucking up to Trump or offering distinctly half-hearted criticism. Much like the rest of NATO, the PM has also supported the war on Iran, even whilst trying to pretend his hands are clean.

Of course, this sycophancy hasn’t stopped Trump from criticising Starmer with full voice.

Burnham on Trump

On Burnham’s part, the former Manchester mayor has previously offered more robust critique of Trump’s presidency. In particular, he stated that the Republican’s approach to Russia’s war on Ukraine was “out of order” and was bringing “instability to the world.”

Back in 2017, shortly after becoming mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham rejected the idea of meeting with Trump. He described his position as a “matter of principle”. Likewise, in 2021, during the attack on the US Capitol, Burnham posted on social media:

Any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.

However, before we go getting our hopes up for a UK PM with a backbone, there are caveats. There are always caveats.

…And the catch

The closer Burnham has come to gaining the keys to No. 10, the more equivocal his statements on Trump have become. On the Makerfield campaign trail, he criticised US politics more generally:

Politics is getting more polarized. And the path we’re on, if we are not careful, is a path towards the politics of the United States of America. A polarized, poisonous politics where people in communities don’t work together anymore.

Sure, that could be read as a criticism of Trump, but it’s hardly focused on the fascist-in-chief. Meanwhile, back in March, Burnham gave a fumbling critique on the war on Iran:

It’s not as simple as it’s sometimes portrayed perhaps, particularly on the American side, because the idea that you take out a leader and then the whole of the population there just unites behind that change – it’s simplistic.

So Trump brought global instability through his stance on Russia, but murdering Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was ill-considered? What a difference a year can make.

Most tellingly, in a June interview with the Guardian, Burnham actually praised Starmer’s handling of Trump. He stated that:

Normally you would want a good relationship with the US, but if you can’t agree with them, then say that as well. That’s the only way I think to deal with him.

Obviously, the relationship is important to the UK, but not to the point where we just go along with anything they say. We’ve got in trouble in the past when that happens, so no, I think the approach that Keir has taken is the right one.

Oh good, more of the same is it then? The UK’s ‘special relationship’ with the US became an abusive relationship a long time ago.

We need a prime minister who will recognise that fact, not one who puts on the kid gloves to handle one of the most deadly threats to the world – even if he is the bloody president.

Featured image via the Canary