Why befriending the notoriously erratic Trump is CRUCIAL for Burnham’s aim to bring down the cost of living for Brits

NewsPolitics HIGH in the sky above the Atlantic Ocean, Andy Burnham seemed relaxed ahead of his crunch meeting with Donald Trump. Kicking back in jeans on the plane over to New York tonight, the PM smiled that the two men had already “found a connection”. Andy Burnham seemed relaxed ahead of his crunch meeting with Donald Trump Credit: PA The PM seems acutely aware that befriending Trump is crucial for his own domestic aim of bringing down the cost of living for Brits Credit: Getty But if Burnham hopes his talks with the President to be plain sailing, he should also brace for a diplomatic squall. Many a world leader has been invited to break bread with the President only to have their head bitten off. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! And while Burnham last night insisted the Special Relationship was “stronger than ever”, many points of difference are straining the UK-US alliance. To name but a few: the Chagos surrender deal, North Sea drilling, the Iran war, immigration, sovereignty over the Falklands and AI regulation. Perhaps Burnham will flutter those famous eyelashes and charm the notoriously erratic Trump in the same way Keir Starmer initially found favour. He certainly seems in no mood to pick a fight with the world’s most powerful man, despite some Labour MPs goading him to have his own Love Actually moment and stick it to the President they loathe. Burnham himself has been rather rude about his US counterpart in the past, describing him as “poisonous”. Wriggling last night, he said: “Politicians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in.” Most read in The Sun The PM seems acutely aware that befriending Trump – no matter their differences – is crucial for his own domestic aim of bringing down the cost of living for Brits. And so Burnham will be in lovebomb mode when he has his grip and grin moment in New York today. The question is whether Trump rolls out the red carpet for his guest – or pulls the rug from beneath him. Comment now