Washington is reportedly pressuring the new UK prime minister to continue his predecessor\u2019s policy<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump is allegedly pressing the new British prime minister, Andy Burnham, to continue allowing American forces to use UK military bases for strikes on Iran, The Telegraph claimed on Tuesday.
\nThe report came after the two leaders held their first phone call on Monday, shortly after Burnham formally took office. Trump described the conversation as \u201cvery good\u201d and praised the \u201coutstanding relationship\u201d between the US and UK.
\nAccording to Trump, the two discussed North Sea oil, trade, their military alliance, and the demining of the Strait of Hormuz, among other issues. Burnham also invited the US president to Manchester for next year\u2019s G20 summit.
\nNeither side publicly said whether the use of British military facilities was discussed. However, The Telegraph reported that Washington has demanded that Burnham continue to let the US use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia, the British-controlled military base in the Indian Ocean.
\nA US official told the newspaper that Trump remained deeply disappointed with NATO countries that had refused or restricted American access to their bases during the US-Israeli war on Iran.
\nBurnham\u2019s predecessor, Keir Starmer, initially rejected a US request to use Diego Garcia for strikes on Iran. The decision angered Trump, who later said he was \u201cvery disappointed\u201d in the British prime minister, and contributed to a sharp deterioration in relations between London and Washington.
\nBritain later allowed American aircraft to operate from RAF Fairford, but the base has since become a focus of anti-war protests demanding that London prevent British territory from being used in attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n
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Burnham has not publicly stated whether he intends to maintain or expand US access, or prevent further strikes from British-controlled facilities, which would likely further sour relations with the US.
\nHis decision is expected to be shaped by opposition within the Labour Party, where a significant number of legislators have criticized the US-Israeli war on Iran, and by his own cabinet after appointing Ed Miliband as foreign secretary. Miliband previously helped persuade Starmer to reject Washington\u2019s original request to use British bases.
\nThe new prime minister has been presented by supporters and sections of the British media as a symbol of political \u201crenewal\u201d after Starmer\u2019s deeply unpopular tenure. Burnham himself has promised an \u201cera of hope\u201d and a \u201crenewal for our party and our country.\u201d
\nOn broader foreign policy, however, Burnham has so far signaled continuity rather than change. He has pledged to maintain Britain\u2019s support for Ukraine, strengthen military ties with the EU, and continue increasing defense spending despite the country\u2019s escalating cost-of-living crisis, weakening public services, and rising unemployment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Washington is reportedly pressuring the new UK prime minister to continue his predecessor\u2019s policy US President Donald Trump is allegedly pressing the new British prime minister, Andy Burnham, to continue…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-37217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t