As with almost everyone on the left of politics in the UK, Burnham has a longish record of saying disobliging things about the US president. In 2017, as mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham said<\/a> that as a \u201cmatter of principle\u201d he would not meet Trump because of the \u201chateful, extremist material\u201d he posted online. After Trump backed his supporters who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 to try to overturn the presidential election result, Burnham said<\/a>: \u201cAny UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.\u201d Only last year he accused Trump<\/a> of bringing \u201cinstability to the world\u201d.<\/p>\n Burnham did not apologise for any of these comments, or retract them, but he told reporters it was time to move on. He also pointed out that Trump had been dismissive of him recently, describing him<\/a> as \u201cthe mayor of a town\u201d.<\/p>\n Burnham said:<\/p>\n double quotation markPoliticians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in, and I did say to the president in our first phone call, I said Mr President, Manchester isn\u2019t \u2018some town\u2019. I said \u2018this is Manchester\u2019.<\/p>\n And so yes, the right thing to do is to have a laugh about it, isn\u2019t it, and move beyond it.<\/p>\n Asked if he could trust Trump, Burnham said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWhen you come into this job, you realise how deep this relationship is. We trust our allies. Of course, we do.<\/p>\n Asked if he trusted Trump personally, Burnham replied: \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n (This is one of those comments best understood by applying the Mandy Rice-Davies principle<\/a>, rather than taking it literally.)<\/p>\n Politico has a bit more colour on the huddle in today\u2019s London Playbook.<\/a><\/p>\n double quotation markBurnham\u2019s first huddle with the Lobby pack on the government jet, where he sat chatting for 38 minutes in jeans, a suit jacket and his blue Joseph\u2019s Goal wristband<\/a>. It was a more discursive affair than under Starmer. The newbie PM was so disappointed that no hacks asked him to diss Danny Dyer \u2014 see here for the <\/a>very<\/a> sweary context<\/a>\u2014 that he volunteered the line anyway. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I know who he is,\u201d said Burnham. \u201cIs he the father-in-law of a West Ham player?\u201d<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Burnham meets Spanish PM Pedro S\u00e1nchez in New York’s Central Park<\/p>\n It is still quite early in New York, but Andy Burnham is already up and about.<\/p>\n He has met the Spanish PM, Pedro S\u00e1nchez, in Central Park.<\/p>\n Andy Burnham (left) and Pedro S\u00e1nchez in Central Park this morning, with security detail walking behind. Photograph: Toby Melville\/ReutersBurnham and S\u00e1nchez in Central Park. Photograph: Toby Melville\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Burnham also met the Manchester-born social entrepreneur Josh Turner, who runs Stand 4 Socks<\/a>. The company donates one pair of socks to the homeless for every pair bought by a customer.<\/p>\n Turner presented Burnham with a pair of socks decorated with a cartoon of his face. And Burnham praised Turner\u2019s work, saying: \u201cYou get on and you give back.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Burnham with Josh Turner, holding the Burnham socks. Photograph: Toby Melville\/Pool Reuters\/APShare<\/a>Reform UK names former Tory suspended last year for 14 days over racial slur as deputy leader in Wales<\/p>\n Reform UK has announced<\/a> that Laura Anne Jones has been elected as its deputy leader in Wales. Yesterday the party\u2019s Senedd members elected Helen Jenner as the new leader.<\/a><\/p>\n Jones is one of the most experienced of the Reform UK<\/a> MSs (members of the Senedd), having first been elected to the Welsh assembly as a Conservative in 2003. She served in various spokesperson roles for the Tories and only defected to Reform UK last summer. At the time she was the party\u2019s only Senedd member.<\/p>\n In November last year she was suspended from the Senedd for 14 days<\/a> for using a racial slur against Chinese people in a WhatsApp group.<\/a><\/p>\n Nigel Farage with Laura Anne Jones at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show in Builth Wells in July last year, when she announced her defection from the Tories. Photograph: Matthew Horwood\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Last night it was Glee Club at the Lib Dem conference, where activists use satirical songs to send up opponents (and themselves). According to Politico\u2019s London Playbook briefing<\/a>, one of the targets was the new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on trans rights.<\/p>\n double quotation markLib Dem activists sang a pro-trans song at Glee Club \u2013 \u201cLet Us Pee,\u201d to the tune of \u201cLet It Be\u201d \u2013 to celebrate the passing of a motion rejecting \u201cdiscriminatory and unworkable\u201d guidance from the equalities watchdog on transgender people.<\/p>\n Earlier yesterday, as Peter Walker reports, the party overwhelmingly passed a motion rejecting the guidance.<\/p>\n As Peter says, the Lib Dems are the Lib Dems the first of the big three parties in parliament to call for a new approach to implementing last year\u2019s ruling that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex only<\/a>. The Greens have previously done so.<\/p>\n This is quite a good example of the Lib Dems being a party that does not believe anyone should be \u201censlaved \u2026 by conformity\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n Left to right: Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper, party president Josh Babarinde and party leader Ed Davey outside the Brighton centre, the conference venue, today. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau\/PAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.49 EDT<\/p>\n If Andy Burnham wanted to inject some edge into his meeting with Donald Trump<\/a> later (which he doesn\u2019t), he could bring along a copy of today\u2019s Financial Times. This front page headline speaks for itself.<\/p>\n double quotation markMortgages \u2018on the front line\u2019 as Iran war deals \u00a3840 blow to homeowners<\/p>\n In their story<\/a>, Sam Fleming, Nathan Brooker and Valentina Romei explain:<\/p>\n double quotation markBritish homeowners are paying an average of \u00a3840 a year more when they refinance their mortgages, as the rising borrowing costs triggered by the Iran war start to impact consumers\u2019 spending power.<\/p>\n Approximately 1m households have rolled off fixed-rate mortgage deals since February, according to Bank of England data.<\/p>\n On average they are paying between \u00a350 and \u00a370 a month more than the rates that prevailed on the eve of the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran, the BoE\u2019s figures show.<\/p>\n FT front page Photograph: Financial Times\/FTShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.26 EDT<\/p>\n Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, is delivering his conference speech this afternoon. He has posted a video on social media<\/a> in advance, which features him walking on Brighton beach and musing on how the Lib Dems are facing \u201cthe fight of our lives\u201d.<\/p>\n (It is quite a polished video, but not as memorable as Neil Kinnock\u2019s excursion on Brighton beach<\/a>.)<\/p>\n Ed Davey on Brighton beach Photograph: Ed DaveyShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a007.02 EDT<\/p>\n Burnham rejects accusations of complacency over threat from Russia, but says he wants to avoid escalation<\/p>\n At the end of last week Andy Burnham was criticised by Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage<\/a> for allegedly not responding to the threat posed by Russia with enough urgency. They spoke out after Emmanuel Macron, the French president, summoned all the country\u2019s main political leaders for a briefing on how Russia is now ramping up its aggression towards Nato countries.<\/p>\n Asked about this on his huddle with journalists on his flight to New York, Burnham did not accept that he was being complacent. But he said he did not want to escalate the problem.<\/p>\n He explained:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe are firm, unflinching, in our support for Ukraine. You\u2019ll all remember that my first overseas trip was on the occasion of Ukraine\u2019s 35th anniversary of independence.<\/p>\n We made a very clear demonstration of the UK\u2019s position, one that hasn\u2019t changed through PMs of recent times and won\u2019t change under me.<\/p>\n What we don\u2019t though do is get involved in the escalation, which some might say suits Russia, so we don\u2019t do that. I think that\u2019s the right position to take.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Kanishka Narayan, the minister for AI, is on the trip to New York with the PM. In a video<\/a> that he recorded on the plane, he says the fact that he is going shows that AI is now \u201ctop of the international agenda\u201d. He says his message to the industry has been \u201ctake risks seriously\u201d.<\/p>\n Kanishka Narayan Photograph: Kanishka NarayanShare<\/a>Burnham urged by ex-cabinet minister to join allies calling for compulsory, pre-release testing of frontier AI models<\/p>\n According to the overnight briefing from No 10<\/a> ahead of his speech to the UN, Andy Burnham will make AI (artificial intelligence) one of the main themes of his visit to New York. Downing Street says:<\/p>\n double quotation markMajor global challenges such as AI, the conflict in Ukraine and security in the Middle East are expected to dominate the agenda of the prime minister\u2019s meetings in New York over the next 24 hours, as world leaders converge on the city.<\/p>\n The prime minister is expected to use the visit to drive forward global work on AI, both to ensure it is being used as a force for good and to maximise opportunities to use the technology to deliver safety and security for people at home.<\/p>\n His speech to the UN general assembly on Tuesday evening is expected to focus on AI, making the case for the international community to harness the technology for good to drive down the cost of living and support a more stable and secure world.<\/p>\n As part of using AI responsibly to support people at home, the prime minister will announce the launch of work between the UK and US on a new AI and Autonomy partnership. This collaboration will help the UK protect critical national infrastructure, from sea lanes to airspace \u2013 enabling us to detect threats and deter our adversaries using the latest AI technology developed on both sides of the Atlantic.<\/p>\n The press release implies that Burnham, at least on this trip, will be more interested in how AI can used to threaten Russia than in how steps can be taken to stop AI wiping out humanity. The press notice also says \u201cthe UK\u2019s Ministry of Defence Rapid AI Delivery Taskforce and the US\u2019s Department of War Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office work together on artificial intelligence and autonomy\u201d.<\/p>\n Sam Coates from Sky News points out<\/a> that many leading countries, as well as the European Union, yesterday backed a call from the Finnish government for compulsory safety testing of all the most advanced, frontier AI<\/a> models before they are released. But the UK did not sign up, he says. He reports<\/a>:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis Finnish initiative \u2013 pushing compulsory testing of Frontier AI models before release \u2013 has the backing of the leaders of Australia, Canada, Germany, the EU, Bahrain and Singapore. https:\/\/presidentti.fi\/en\/a-call-for-control-of-frontier-ai-models\/<\/a> It\u2019s dated yesterday 21\/9. The UK will have been asked.<\/p>\n But Andy Burnham has not signed \u2013 and appears at the UN general assembly today to be taking a different – arguably weaker – path. Burnham is going to the UN arguing almost exactly the opposite impression: that Britain is uniquely placed to lead international AI governance, mediate between the US and China and make AI a centrepiece of its 2027 G20 presidency.<\/p>\n And there\u2019s no mention of Britain backing compulsory pre-release testing of AI, unlike the other countries. The language in the press release is much more watery: he wants to ensure AI is used \u201cfor good\u201d but avoids specifics.<\/p>\n Darren Jones, chief secretary to the PM when Keir Starmer was in Downing Street, has said the government should not be shunning this initiative. He says<\/a>:<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s great to see @alexstubb providing this leadership and bringing other countries together to call for pre-deployment testing.<\/p>\n The list of signatories to the \u2018Call for Control of Frontier AI Models\u2019 are the United Kingdom\u2019s natural allies.<\/p>\n The UK has special access to American AI models through the AI Security Institute, which is partly why the UK Government will want to remain in lock step with the United States.<\/p>\n But I don\u2019t see any reason why the UK can\u2019t sign up to the Finnish proposal. I encourage our government to do so and to offer to broker agreement on its application with the United States.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>No 10 confirms Manchester to host next year’s G20 summit<\/p>\n The comment from Andy Burnham criticising Donald Trump from 2017 quoted earlier (see 9.58am<\/a>) referred to the prospect of Trump visiting Manchester during his state visit. In fact, he never went near the city. But next year he may be there, because No 10 has announced that it will host the G20 summit.<\/p>\n In its report on the story, the Manchester Evening News says:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe move to host the G20 in Manchester was reportedly set up months ago after Andy Burnham became prime minister, using his first phone call with Mr Trump to invite him to the city, and which is said to have been accepted by the American President.<\/p>\n It is understood that planning has already started for the enormous gathering, which will require the biggest security operation the city has ever seen \u2026<\/p>\n Work on hosting the summit in Manchester had begun before Mr Burnham took office but the prime minister has been an enthusiastic cheerleader for the city since entering Downing Street, including establishing the No 10 North operation in the city centre.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>UK to give support to Saudi jets in attempt to counter Houthi fighters<\/p>\n In his huddle on the plane to the US, Andy Burnham also confirmed that the UK has agreed to provide defensive air support to Saudi Arabia<\/a> to help counter Houthi fighters. He said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe have received a request from Saudi Arabia for military support and \u2026 I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling.<\/p>\n Presumably that means Burnham won\u2019t be agreeing with the recent report<\/a> from the Campaign Against Arms Trade and the Transition Security Project saying \u201cBritain should pay reparations to the people of Yemen for its role in crimes committed against them by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their coalition allies during the Yemeni civil war.\u201d It says:<\/p>\n double quotation markBy our calculations, a windfall tax on profits made by two leading British arms companies from weapons used by the Saudis during the war could raise up to \u00a33.9bn. With the British state matching this sum, a reparations payment of \u00a37.8bn would help address the urgent humanitarian needs in Yemen \u2013 which British policy has helped to create \u2013 and provide a foundation for Yemen\u2019s economic recovery.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Burnham plays down past critical comments about Trump, saying it’s right to ‘move beyond’ them<\/p>\n Speaking to journalists on his flight to New York, Andy Burnham played down suggestions that previous critical things he has said about Donald Trump<\/a> could cause a problem when they meet later.<\/p>\n As with almost everyone on the left of politics in the UK, Burnham has a longish record of saying disobliging things about the US president. In 2017, as mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham said<\/a> that as a \u201cmatter of principle\u201d he would not meet Trump because of the \u201chateful, extremist material\u201d he posted online. After Trump backed his supporters who stormed the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 to try to overturn the presidential election result, Burnham said<\/a>: \u201cAny UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now.\u201d Only last year he accused Trump<\/a> of bringing \u201cinstability to the world\u201d.<\/p>\n Burnham did not apologise for any of these comments, or retract them, but he told reporters it was time to move on. He also pointed out that Trump had been dismissive of him recently, describing him<\/a> as \u201cthe mayor of a town\u201d.<\/p>\n Burnham said:<\/p>\n double quotation markPoliticians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in, and I did say to the president in our first phone call, I said Mr President, Manchester isn\u2019t \u2018some town\u2019. I said \u2018this is Manchester\u2019.<\/p>\n And so yes, the right thing to do is to have a laugh about it, isn\u2019t it, and move beyond it.<\/p>\n Asked if he could trust Trump, Burnham said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWhen you come into this job, you realise how deep this relationship is. We trust our allies. Of course, we do.<\/p>\n Asked if he trusted Trump personally, Burnham replied: \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n (This is one of those comments best understood by applying the Mandy Rice-Davies principle<\/a>, rather than taking it literally.)<\/p>\n Politico has a bit more colour on the huddle in today\u2019s London Playbook.<\/a><\/p>\n double quotation markBurnham\u2019s first huddle with the Lobby pack on the government jet, where he sat chatting for 38 minutes in jeans, a suit jacket and his blue Joseph\u2019s Goal wristband<\/a>. It was a more discursive affair than under Starmer. The newbie PM was so disappointed that no hacks asked him to diss Danny Dyer \u2014 see here for the <\/a>very<\/a> sweary context<\/a>\u2014 that he volunteered the line anyway. \u201cI\u2019m not sure I know who he is,\u201d said Burnham. \u201cIs he the father-in-law of a West Ham player?\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Burnham and his wife, Marie-France van Heel, boarding their flight to New York yesterday. Photograph: Toby Melville\/ReutersShare<\/a>Burnham fails to rule out Brexit reversal being in next Labour manifesto<\/p>\n Andy Burnham has opened the door to fighting the next election on the UK rejoining the EU, but said his immediate priority was continuing to rebuild bridges<\/a> with European allies. Pippa Crerar has the story, which is based on what Burnham told journalists as he spoke to them in what reporters call a \u201chuddle\u201d on his flight to New York.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>UK not \u2018on the slide\u2019, Burnham to tell UN as he gears up for first meeting with Trump<\/p>\n Good morning. Andy Burnham is at the United Nations<\/a> general assembly today and in a speech to the world (or, technically, to people in the hall and anyone watching on TV at around 2am UK time), he will say that Britain is not \u201con the slide\u201d.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters on the plane to New York, Burnham said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe plan for Britain is about \u2018what is our direction over the next 10 years and how do we make life more affordable for people\u2019. That is my main priority, that\u2019s what people are looking for.<\/p>\n I hear people saying the country is on the slide \u2013 we\u2019re the fastest growing in the G7, there\u2019s lots to be proud of, there\u2019s a lot right with the country and I\u2019m going to give a really upbeat message when I speak.<\/p>\n But the story of the day will instead focus on Burnham\u2019s meeting with someone who does think the UK is \u201con the slide\u201d, or at least claims to think that. \u201cYour country\u2019s in trouble. You\u2019re on the edge of disaster,\u201d Donald Trump told a GB News reporter <\/a>recently.<\/p>\n In her overnight story<\/a> ahead of the meeting, Pippa Crerar, who is on the trip with Burnham, says Burnham is going to adopt a middle-of-the-road approach to the US president when they meet. She says:<\/p>\n double quotation markGovernment sources told the Guardian that Burnham would try to pursue a \u201cthird way\u201d in his relationship with the US president, neither as adversarial as the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, nor as publicly fawning as [Keir] Starmer\u2019s early approach, and relying on the strength of his personality.<\/p>\n This is a reference to Starmer offering Trump an unprecedented second state visit when they first met at the White House. Theresa May also found herself pimping the monarch<\/a> at her first meeting with Trump. There were good reasons for both offers at the time, and they bought both newbie PMs some goodwill from the White House monster, but it did not last and both those encounters are now recalled as moments of national embarrassment. As long as today\u2019s meeting is cordial, Burnham will probably be happy with something more low-key.<\/p>\n It is hard to know what can be achieved in any meeting with Trump because he is so unpredicable. Later Burnham has another meeting with a president which will get far less coverage, but may turn out to be more consequential. The PM is meeting Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, for the first time and, with the prospects of the EU-UK reset in jeopardy<\/a>, there is a lot to discuss.<\/p>\n Here is the agenda for the day.<\/p>\n 9am: The final day of the Lib Dem conference in Brighton starts. The debates this morning will include one on the Lib Dems\u2019 water policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lib Dem conference agenda Photograph: Lib Dems<\/p>\n 2.30pm: Ed Davey<\/a>, the Lib Dem leader, gives his keynote speech at the conference.<\/p>\n Around 4.45pm (UK time): Andy Burnham is due to meet Donald Trump<\/a> at the UN in New York.<\/p>\n Late afternoon\/early evening (UK time): Burnham has bilateral meetings with Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian president, and others.<\/p>\n Late evening (UK time): Burnham co-chairs a meeting on the Middle East with other leaders including Emmanuel Macron, the French president, and Mark Carney, the Canadian PM.<\/p>\n Around 1.50am (UK time): Burnham gives his speech to the UN before flying back to the UK.<\/p>\n![\"Andy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/2672.jpg\")
Andy Burnham and his wife, Marie-France van Heel, boarding their flight to New York yesterday. Photograph: Toby Melville\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n