Andy Burnham reportedly extended an invitation to Donald Trump to visit Manchester during their first phone call since becoming Prime Minister, a move seen as awkward given his past remarks branding the US President "deeply troubling" and suggesting he could be barred from the city. The apparent shift in tone highlights the balancing act facing Burnham as he transitions from vocal regional critic of Trump to head of government needing to maintain diplomatic and trade relations with Washington.

The call came amid a turbulent start to Burnham's premiership, which has seen a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle dubbed a "bloodbath", with Rachel Reeves sacked and Starmer loyalists David Lammy, Steve Reed and Peter Kyle also removed. Prisons minister Lord Timpson, who oversaw Labour's contentious early-release scheme, has resigned from government, while Burnham used his first speech as PM to vow he would "be better" than Keir Starmer and hinted at a leftward policy shift, though he offered no specific details.