Britain’s newly installed Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled he is prepared to openly contradict US President Donald Trump if Britain’s interests demand it, in his first major broadcast interview since entering Downing Street. Burnham twice declined to say he trusted the American leader, describing their initial phone call as ‘really warm’ but insisting: ‘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.’ The remarks to the BBC come as the UK grapples with the diplomatic and military consequences of the US-led campaign against Iran.

Burnham’s stance coincides with sensitive military cooperation. Washington has used RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire as a base for bombing raids on Iranian targets; London insists it has authorised only ‘defensive’ operations. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned the UK would become ‘a definite and legitimate target’ if it supports the war. Burnham acknowledged ‘concern’ over Trump’s decision to launch the conflict and pledged he would ‘not hold back from saying what I think is right.’ Defence Secretary Wes Streeting clarified that Britain would not join ‘offensive military actions’ but would defend itself if attacked. The two allies are now planning a high-level conference in London next week to forge a coalition for securing the Strait of Hormuz.

Domestically, Burnham’s first week saw a flurry of cost-of-living measures: removing VAT from household energy bills, capping most bus fares, and slashing business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues. The steps represent a political reset after Keir Starmer’s perceived pessimism and a controversial cut to winter fuel payments. Conservatives have labelled the pledges ‘unfunded’, while the independent Resolution Foundation estimates they could erode fiscal headroom by more than £2bn by 2029-30. Burnham also faces immediate pressure to meet his chancellor John Healey’s demand that defence spending reach 3% of GDP by 2030. Healey resigned from the previous cabinet over the issue. Burnham acknowledged the target but refused to set a timetable, saying the government must ‘work out the way of doing that’ in the autumn budget.

From Washington, the Trump administration has struck a cautiously cooperative tone, with the president praising Burnham as someone who ‘will be able to do it’ after earlier dismissing him as ‘extremely liberal.’ Yet Burnham inherits a Labour Party riven by Starmer’s removal; British newspapers report that Starmer loyalists are planning a parliamentary group to enforce fiscal discipline, and talk of an ‘autumn of reckoning.’ With Burnham ruling out an early general election before 2029, the immediate tests will be the budget and the London maritime security summit, where US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to press European allies for clearer burden-sharing commitments.