In his first major interview as prime minister, Andy Burnham said that he would call out President Donald Trump for Britain.
Speaking to the BBC, Burnham shared that he had a good talk with Trump, finding him to be "really warm"; however, he shared that he would stand up to the US president to defend the country's "national interest".
Does Andy Burnham trust President Trump?
When asked if he would trust Trump, Burnham did not reply simply, adding, "It's a changing world isn't, and you just obviously have to call things as they develop."
"I can't at any point say that I won't take a different opinion from him [Trump], that I will need to voice a different idea that is right for Britain," he said.
Burnham continued, "My strength is remaining close to people, close to the public, that will not change as prime minister."
Asked if he would question Trump if the situation called for it, he said, "Of course," adding, "You have to defend your own national interest before anything else. That's what you're required to do if you're to do this job properly."
Burnham also said he had had "concern" about the president starting the conflict with Iran, and he "wouldn't hold back from saying what I think is right".
The interview is set to be broadcast in full on Monday, July 27.
For the first time ever, Burnham clearly dismissed the idea of an early general election before 2029, noting, "I'm going to rule it out... I don't think people want it."
He said his focus instead was on "getting the country back where it should be".
After a chaotic two-year ride, the Labour Party's Keir Starmer stepped down as UK prime minister, with Andy Burnham taking his place as the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade.
