Andy Burnham expected to meet Donald Trump for the first time next week – after he warned Britain faces ‘disaster’

ANDY Burnham will reportedly meet the US President for the first time in New York next week. The Prime Minister is understood to be attending the United Nations General Assembly and will meet the US President on the sidelines of the summit. Prime Minister Andy Burnham will attend the United Nations assembly in New York City Credit: Shutterstock Editorial It will mark the first time the US and UK leaders have met in person since Labour came to power Credit: Splash Downing Street previously said it was unclear whether the two leaders would be able to meet due to clashing schedules. Today The Times reported that the two men are planning on meeting at the event on Tuesday. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! However, a White House official told The Telegraph that the President’s presence at the meeting is not yet guaranteed. But discussions may well be tense, after the US President warned Britain of “disaster” regarding its energy and immigration crisis in early September. The two countries will likely discuss the Ukraine war and the Middle East crisis during the UNGA Donald Trump has said the UK faces ‘disaster’ regarding immigration and energy Speaking to GB News about the small boats crisis, he said: “Look your country’s in trouble. You’re on the edge of disaster”. It follows burgeoning anguish around immigration in the UK, with protests erupting across the country in response to migrant “mega-dinghies” arriving on British shores. He added that in addition to a “tremendous immigration problem”, the UK faces a similarly “tremendous energy problem”. “Your energy is three, four times higher than it should be. If you don’t stop people pouring into your country from all over the world, you’re not going to have a country left.” Most read in The Sun He championed the US’ own approach to immigration, wishing the PM “a lot of luck”. The pair spoke just last week where they agreed to “continue working towards a ceasefire that prevented more loss of life” in Ukraine. The leaders also discussed the Middle East and the UK’s commitment to working towards sustainable peace and security in the region. They will likely discuss both topics when they meet at the UN assembly, along with North Sea drilling, which the President is pushing for. Other contentious topics are likely to arise, including the subject of Irish reunification, which the US President insisted would be “fantastic” -a remark Westminster dismissed. The Falkland Islands may also feature in discussions, with The Telegraph previously expressing qualms with Britain’s claim to sovereignty in a bid to pressure the UK into spending more on defence. It follows a period of unprecedented strain between the UK and US, with Donald Trump accusing Britain – and other countries – of not pulling its weight in the Iran war. He expressed his frustration with the UK government over their refusal to send warships into the region to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This will be the first time Andy Burnham has met Donald Trump in person since coming to power – although the pair have spoken twice on the phone. Donald Trump’s first impressions of the Labour leader were arguably underwhelming, saying: “I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town”. Last weekend, he described him as a “very nice guy” but “on the liberal side, unfortunately”. Andy Burnham has been similarly nonchalant in his dealings with the capricious President. “It’s about being yourself, isn’t it?” he told Gary Lineker in July. “It’s about respecting the office, the relationship, the UK-US relationship. Where you disagree, do it. But do it in a way that is kind of meeting him where he’s at.” He added that he intends to be “very upfront” with US leader. The PM has previously taken a more antagonistic stance, saying in 2017 he would refuse to meet him as a “matter of principle” and accusing him of sharing “hateful extremist material”. The annual assembly is the primary debating forum for discussing key global issues covered under the UN charter. The 81st session opened on September 8, with this year’s agenda featuring sea-level rise and pandemic preparedness. Comment now