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Andy Burnham expressed optimism about finding “common ground” with Donald Trump during their upcoming first in-person meeting on Tuesday. Both leaders are currently in New York City to attend the United Nations’ annual assembly of world leaders. Since Burnham assumed office as prime minister in July, he and Trump have had two telephone conversations, which Downing Street described as establishing a “productive relationship.”
Speaking to reporters while en route to the United States, Burnham emphasized the connection he feels with Trump and his intention to engage positively: “We’ve found a connection. So, I will go with where I feel it’s right, to meet him where he is at, and search for that common ground, which I’m sure we’ll find.” He added that he was “looking forward to it.” When questioned about the state of UK-US relations, Burnham confidently stated that their relationship is “as strong as it’s ever been.” Accompanying him on the trip is his wife, Marie-France Van Heel.
During his visit, Burnham plans to deliver a speech focused on the prospects and risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI). He intends to advocate for enhanced international cooperation on AI, promote “a just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” and call for renewed efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, highlighting the global nature of these issues and their impact on domestic affairs. Additionally, he is set to announce a new collaborative initiative between the UK and the US centered on AI and Autonomy, aimed at safeguarding critical national infrastructure through advanced AI technologies.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is poised to critique the government’s AI and Autonomy partnership at the closing day of his party’s conference. He argues that the initiative “doesn’t come close to meeting the scale of the threat” and warns it “only risks making us more dependent on a Trump administration in the pocket of the tech bros.” Davey also plans to call for a global moratorium on superintelligent AI and propose the creation of an International AI Safety Agency. These criticisms follow several serious warnings issued by the AI industry about the technology’s potential dangers.
Ahead of Burnham and Trump’s meeting, UK officials announced a significant military milestone: for the first time, an American torpedo was fired from a British uncrewed underwater drone during a recent military exercise. The torpedo, described as “heavyweight” and built to sink ships and deep-diving submarines, was launched from the 12-meter long Excalibur drone made in Plymouth, in UK waters. This marked the first instance of either country deploying a torpedo from an uncrewed underwater vessel rather than a crewed submarine. The achievement is seen as a key advancement in protecting critical assets such as deep-sea data cables. Reflecting on this partnership, Burnham stated, “Our work together already shows what can be achieved when our two countries combine our expertise and innovation.”
When questioned about the status of the UK’s plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with an arrangement to lease back the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, Burnham acknowledged that the deal remains on hold. It was halted in April after Trump withdrew his support. Burnham confirmed that he spoke with Mauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam on Monday. Asked about his position on the agreement and whether he would try to persuade Trump to support it, Burnham said, “I said that we remain determined to secure the long-term operation of the base, which is crucial to our security and that of our allies. The assurance I gave was I will work towards a resolution, at the moment we don’t have that, but I gave an assurance that I would commit to working towards one.
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