Burnham charms Trump as President hails 'very good' first call on North Sea oil, trade and Iran… but so did Starmer

By MARTIN ROBINSON, CHIEF REPORTER Published: 08:30, 21 July 2026 | Updated: 08:58, 21 July 2026 Andy Burnham has tried to charm Donald Trump in their first phone call after being fiercely critical of him over the years. The US President has said he had a 'very good conversation' with the new Labour leader - but admitted he 'has got a big job ahead of him.' Trump appears to have been generous towards the new PM, who previously said the Leader of the Free World visiting the UK was 'highly divisive' despite the UK-US alliance being so close. Burnham also said he 'wouldn't welcome' a visit by Trump to the city of Manchester, which led to the President dismissing him as an 'extremely liberal... mayor of a town'. Last night Burnham and Trump discussed a range of issues including North Sea oil, something that the President believes vehemently that the UK must make use of. He said on Truth Social: 'I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham. We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK. We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest. 'The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help! We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics.  'The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED!' Donald Trump said his first call with new PM Andy Burnham was 'interesting, and went very well' Andy Burnham kisses his wife Marie-France van Heel as he enters No 10 yesterday It could have been a frosty discussion due to Mr Burnham's fierce criticism of Mr Trump in the past. The US President has, in turn, publicly dismissed Mr Burnham as 'extremely liberal' and 'the mayor of a town'. During their talks on Monday afternoon, Mr Burnham invited Mr Trump to visit Manchester - where he previously served as mayor and is planning to establish his 'No10 North'. The UK holds the presidency of the G20 summit in 2027 and Mr Burnham revealed for the first time that it will be hosted in Manchester during the call, according to The Times. This is despite Mr Burnham having once suggested the 'highly divisive' Mr Trump wouldn't be welcome in the North West city. In April 2019, during Mr Trump's first term as US President, Mr Burnham said 'many different communities' in Britain would be feeling 'deeply unsettled' by the American leader's upcoming state visit to the UK. 'There are many people who live in this country who will be deeply troubled by this visit,' Mr Burnham said at the time. The then-Greater Manchester mayor added that he 'wouldn't welcome' a visit to Manchester by Mr Trump as it would be 'highly divisive and cause real pro Donald Trump's first call with Sir Keir Starmer also went similarly well - before their relationship hit the rocks. There were major rows over Iran, immigration and energy.  'This is not Winston Churchill, that I can tell you,' the President said of the now-former Prime Minister when he heard he was leaving Downing Street. When first asked about Starmer's resignation, Trump first said Starmer was a 'lovely man' and 'sort of a friend of mine' but added that he told him, 'you're really messing up energy.' 'You have windmills all over the place,' the President explained. 'In the meantime, you have the North Sea oil and they won't let anybody drill.' Trump then complained how Starmer was 'not good to us with NATO,' suggesting that it hurt the prime minister politically. 'I mean, I wish him well, but he's got two problems - energy and immigration. And crime. But energy and immigration,' Trump said. The President moved on to another topic, but came back to Starmer again when asked about his scheduled meeting this week with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. That prompted his 'Churchill' quip and a brief rant about how NATO members refused to help him after the US and Israel started a joint operation against Iran in late February. 'Starmer said worse than no,' Trump recalled. 'He said, we'll be there as soon as you win. I said, "We don't need you as soon as we win." President Donald Trump (center left) and First Lady Melania Trump (left) pose for a picture alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (center right) and his wife Victoria (right) at a paratrooper demonstration outside of Chequers in September 2025 The men started well but Trump was highly critical of his policies and leadership in public (pictured together at the G7 summit in Canada) Today Andy Burnham is already facing a Labour backlash over his 'unfunded' move to trim energy bills this winter. The new PM has unveiled a sweetener of 5 per cent off electricity bills from October, insisting it can give families 'breathing room'. The Government claims the £850million to pay for the measure is being found by axing the ID cards scheme.  However, Darren Jones - who was brutally sacked from the Cabinet in Mr Burnham's purge of Starmer loyalists yesterday - warned this morning that no funding had been earmarked for that policy.  As a result new Chancellor John Healey faces having to find the cash at the Budget, heaping more pressure on the public finances.  Experts also said the estimated £45 benefit of the proposal for households will be swamped by surging energy prices, with the Iran war threatening to escalate once again. Currently Ofgem's cap is projected to rise £60 in October.  Ironically Mr Burnham - who until this summer advocated rejoining the EU - can only tweak VAT on energy because Britain is no longer in the bloc. It cannot be applied in Northern Ireland, which is subject to the rates dictated by Brussels.    The manoeuvring comes amid mounting questions over how Mr Burnham will pay for expensive pledges in a lurch to the Left.  They include a commitment to the biggest council house building programme in history, to be overseen by Angela Rayner, as well as a national social care service. Markets have been jittery at the prospect of Labour overseeing yet more borrowing, with Britain's debt mountain already at eye-watering levels. Concerns were assuaged somewhat yesterday when Mr Burnham opted against installing Ed Miliband - whose views are regarded as 'Soviet' by many - in No11.  In other twists and turns on Mr Burnham's first full day in power: New Chancellor John Healey said: 'This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.' Darren Jones - who was sacked from the Cabinet in Mr Burnham's purge of Starmer loyalists yesterday - warned this morning that no funding had been earmarked for that policy The 5 per cent VAT rate currently applied to domestic electricity will be reduced to zero in the Autumn. The Government has said the cut will reduce a typical annual bill by around £45 and lower inflation by 0.1 percentage points. It is the first of several major announcements expected today. Mr Healey said the announcement will 'provide some reassurance this winter.' He added: 'For too long, too many people have struggled with the cost of living. 'Today's energy tax cut will give families some breathing room on bills, and provide some reassurance this winter. 'This measure is funded this year from cancelling the Digital ID programme, and it will help bring down inflation while supporting households in every postcode.' The lost tax revenue is meant to be covered by cancelling the Digital ID Programme, which was slated to cost £1.8billion over three years. However, last year the Treasury's Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Watchdog said 'no specific savings' had been found to fund the flagship Starmer programme. The Budget watchdog said: 'The implementation of digital ID cards is provisionally forecast to cost £1.8billion in total over the next three years, split across £0.5billion RDEL and £1.3bn CDEL. 'The Government has announced its intention to meet the costs of this through existing DEL budgets, however no specific savings have yet been identified.' Mr Jones, who was Secretary of State to the PM until he was fired by phone yesterday, said: 'Good news that VAT will be cut on electricity bills. It's a simple way for families to save a few quid, and to mechanically help to keep inflation that little bit lower.  'But the Digital ID program was unfunded. The government will have to set out how it will pay for its new policies at the Budget.'  MoneySavingExpert founder Martin Lewis welcomed the cut, but warned that 'in practice people won't feel much benefit'.  He pointed out that the energy price cap is projected to rise 3.1 per cent, adding at least £50 a year to costs, and the market was deteriorating in response to the latest Iran war flare-up. 'So the VAT cut gain over 6mths is mostly eaten up by that,' he posted on X. 'Especially as the prediction is a further rise in January (though that is far more crystal ball gazing).' Mr Burnham has been making great play of his focus on the cost of living. In his first speech as PM yesterday he said: 'Westminster has not been working for people for too long, with families struggling with the cost of living. That needs to change. 'I said I wanted to give people breathing space, and that's what I'm announcing on my second day as Prime Minister. 'We're taking immediate action to cut taxes on energy bills, put more money in people's pockets and bring back hope.'