Donald Trump delivered a humiliating assessment of Andy Burnham, the frontrunner to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader, calling him 'the mayor of a town' and 'very liberal'. The remarks were revealed during a GB News segment with Lord Ross Kempsell, who discussed Burnham's potential pursuit of the Chagos Islands deal.
Trump's Dismissal of Burnham
Speaking on GB News, Lord Kempsell disclosed that when Trump was asked if he knew who Andy Burnham is, the US president responded: 'I know that he's a mayor of a town and that he's very liberal.' Kempsell noted that Burnham must reverse this perception, but argued that reviving the Chagos deal is 'completely the wrong way to do it'.
Chagos Deal Under Fire
Kempsell described the Chagos deal as 'the most hated policy in DC' and claimed it undermines the UK-US relationship. 'It's bad for the transatlantic alliance,' he said. The deal, which involves transferring sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, has been a contentious issue in US-UK relations.
Unfunded Spending Promises
Beyond foreign policy, Kempsell criticised Burnham's economic plans, stating that Burnham has made over £250 billion in unfunded spending promises. 'This is the key issue that I don't think is being talked about enough,' he said. While supporting the idea of a prime minister from northern England, Kempsell questioned how Burnham would pay for his commitments.
He specifically highlighted Burnham's pledge to spend £100 billion on renationalising the water industry, calling it 'absurd economics'. With UK gilts running at nearly five per cent—levels seen during the global financial crisis—Kempsell argued that Burnham's plans lack credibility. Adding £47 billion for the Chagos deal would 'completely blow the balance sheet', he warned.
Leadership Context
Burnham emerged as the most likely candidate to succeed Keir Starmer after the former prime minister resigned last month. The MP for Makerfield and Mayor of Greater Manchester has positioned himself as a champion of northern communities and devolution. However, Trump's dismissive comments and Kempsell's fiscal critique pose significant challenges to his leadership bid.
