Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is expected to meet Donald Trump for the first time next week when both attend the UN General Assembly in New York, with the encounter set to test already strained relations between London and Washington. Burnham has said he intends to use the trip to press the US president for greater support for Ukraine, brushing aside past criticism he has made of Trump. The meeting comes amid a broader diplomatic backdrop of friction between the UK and US over the Middle East, Russia, the Falklands, Irish unification and tech regulation, adding to the sense that the talks will be far from straightforward.

Trump recently called Burnham a "very nice guy" but "on the liberal side", and separately caused controversy by appearing to back a merger of Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, a suggestion firmly rejected by the UK government. He has also hinted he might not back Britain over the Falklands, linking this to the UK's reluctance to join the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, while US officials are said to have privately objected to Britain's online safety laws, including proposed under-16s social media bans, and the two countries diverge sharply on AI regulation. Downing Street says Burnham's New York schedule is not yet finalised, but he has said he is looking forward to the meeting, having previously spoken to Trump by phone, and insists he seeks "common ground" despite past outspoken remarks.