The new British prime minister, Andy Burnham, has said he will not hold back from criticising US President Donald Trump if needed to protect the country’s national interest. He made the comment while speaking to the BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg.
Speaking about his relationship with the US president, Burnham said his first contact with Trump had gone quite well and that he had found him a warm person.
Asked twice whether he trusts Trump completely, however, he gave no direct answer. Instead he remarked that the world is now changing and that the right decision can only be taken in light of the situation.
The full interview is due to be broadcast tomorrow, Monday, 27 July. In it he says clearly that he will not hesitate to disagree with Trump and express a different view where it does not serve Britain’s interests.
In the interview Burnham also said that maintaining close contact with ordinary people is his main strength and that this will continue as prime minister. He said he had had his own concerns about the US president’s actions in starting the conflict with Iran. Reaffirming that the national interest comes first for him, he said the main duty of the office is to protect the country’s interests at any cost.
Some uncertainty remains over the defence budget. The prime minister has declined to give a specific date for spending 3 percent of GDP on defence. His chancellor, John Healey, had earlier resigned from the previous government, warning that the country would not be safe if this target was not achieved by 2030.
In Burnham’s view, however, he has appointed a chancellor who is fully aware of the importance of defence spending. The main challenge before them now is to ensure that the defence investment plan is properly funded before the budget is presented later this year. They will find a way to meet the commitment to allocate 3 percent of GDP, he said.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report