No 10 Confirms Manchester Will Host Next Year’s G20 Summit
Downing Street has announced that Manchester will host the G20 summit next year. This comes on the heels of previous comments from Andy Burnham regarding Donald Trump when he was first expected to visit Manchester during a state visit, although he never did so.
According to the Manchester Evening News, Burnham arranged to invite Trump during their first phone call after he became Prime Minister, and Trump reportedly accepted the invitation. Planning for the event has already begun, with preparations for the largest security operation in the city’s history underway. Although work on the summit started prior to Burnham taking office, he has become a prominent advocate for Manchester since entering Downing Street.
UK to Provide Air Support to Saudi Arabia Against Houthi Fighters
During his flight to the US, Prime Minister Andy Burnham confirmed the UK will supply defensive air support to Saudi Arabia to counter Houthi fighters. He stated, “We have received a request from Saudi Arabia for military support, and I agreed to that request for defensive air-to-air refuelling.”
This announcement appears to contradict a report from the Campaign Against Arms Trade, which argued that the UK should provide reparations to Yemen for its role in the conflict. The report estimates a windfall tax on the profits of British arms companies could raise around £3.9 billion, which, if matched by the government, could provide £7.8 billion in reparations.
Burnham Aims to Move Past Critical Trump’s Comments
On his way to New York, Andy Burnham played down concerns that his past criticisms of Donald Trump might affect their upcoming meeting. Historically, Burnham has been outspoken against Trump, refusing to meet him in 2017 due to the “hateful” material Trump shared online. He has also expressed disapproval of Trump’s actions surrounding the 2021 Capitol riots, previously stating that any UK politician engaging with Trump should feel ashamed.
However, he opts not to retract his statements but rather encourages a focus on the present. In his remarks, Burnham highlighted the importance of elevating Manchester’s status, saying, “I said to the president, ‘This is Manchester’.”
When asked about trusting Trump, Burnham affirmed, “Yes,” indicating confidence in the alliance.
Burnham’s Focus on Rebuilding International Relations
Andy Burnham has also opened up the possibility of campaigning for rejoining the EU in the next election, though he emphasised rebuilding relations with European allies as his main goal. Speaking to reporters on his flight to New York, he stated that the focus should be on the future direction of Britain over the next decade.
This morning, Burnham will address the UN General Assembly around 2am UK time, asserting that the UK is not “on the slide.” In contrast, Trump has recently depicted the UK as being “on the edge of disaster.” Burnham aims for a balanced approach in dealing with Trump, distinct from both adversarial and overly deferential positions taken by previous leaders.
Today’s agenda includes discussions with Trump and meetings with Ursula von der Leyen and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, all of which hold significant implications for UK foreign policy.
