Trump says Burnham ‘very nice guy’ but ‘on the liberal side’

Asked what he thought the Prime Minister made of his comments in support of a united Ireland, the US president said he did not know what Mr Burnham had said.

But he said: “I’ve spoken to him. I think he’s a very nice guy. He tends to be on the liberal side, unfortunately.”

Mr Trump then reiterated his belief that the Prime Minister intended to approve more drilling in the North Sea, saying he was “going to be stopping the stupid windmills”.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is a ‘very nice guy’, Donald Trump has said (Gary Oakley/PA)

PA Wire

The president’s positive comments about Mr Burnham reflect some of his initial comments about Sir Keir Starmer.

In January last year, shortly after returning to the White House, Mr Trump said he had “a very good relationship” with Sir Keir.

He added: “I like him a lot.

“He’s liberal, which is a bit different from me, but I think he’s a very good person and I think he’s done a very good job thus far.”

Relations later became strained, with the pair falling out over issues including the Iran war and resistance to Mr Trump’s desire to annex Greenland.

But as late as June this year, Mr Trump was still describing Sir Keir as “a very nice man” and “sort of a friend of mine”.