RELATIONS between the US and the UK are “more up” now that Andy Burnham is Prime Minister than when Keir Starmer held the role, Donald Trump has claimed.
The US president made the remarks in his first face-to-face meeting with Burnham on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
During the meeting, Burnham claimed he had “established a good connection” with Trump, adding that the pair had “taken that further today” as they discussed trade, energy and immigration among other topics.
The Prime Minister also stressed that Britain has a “positive story” to tell about itself, in an attempt to draw a line under 10 years of post-Brexit turbulence, in his UN debut.
Trump also told Burnham the UK’s agreement with Mauritius to hand over the Chagos Islands is a “terrible deal” and “ridiculous”.
Asked by reporters about the deal after a bilateral meeting on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly, the US president said: “I don’t support it. I think it’s a terrible deal.
“They all of a sudden say they have ownership, somebody has ownership that never showed up before after decades and centuries. I think it’s ridiculous. No, we were talking about that.
“It’s strategically very important, very important. You know, we had to send our B-2 bombers when we bombed the Iran nuclear, we sent the B-2 bombers back home to Missouri. As opposed to flying for a short period of time, they had to fly for a long period of time.
“It’s amazing how strategic it is, and I think the Prime Minister is going to be looking at it. It’s very strategic location. And it’s unique…
“It’s a very important piece of real estate, militarily and strategically.”
