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LONDON — Andy Burnham spent most of his first 42 days as prime minister in his comfort zone, talking about jobs, living costs, homelessness and shifting power out of London.
Now he’s got to look beyond his own borders. As parliament returns from its six-week summer break on Tuesday, Britain’s new leader faces a towering in-tray of decisions that will affect his relations overseas, especially with Donald Trump.
British officials are preparing for the prospect of his first face-to-face meeting with the U.S. president in late September after Burnham confirmed his intention to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Downing Street is privately exploring the possibility that he visits the White House on the same trip, depending on Trump’s availability.
Burnham has played down the jeopardy, but he also promised to “say what I feel.” He has the advantage of having seen his predecessor Keir Starmer try to please Trump, only to be hectored relentlessly on Truth Social. Like Italy’s Giorgia Meloni or Canada’s Mark Carney, Burnham may sense a political advantage in not kissing the ring.
