Burnham tells UN Britain has a positive future as he prepares to meet Trump

Andy Burnham is travelling to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where he is expected to argue that Britain is not “on the slide”. Speaking to reporters on the plane, Burnham said his priority was setting the country’s direction over the next decade and making life more affordable. He said Britain was the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and that there was “lots to be proud of”.

Burnham said he intended to deliver an upbeat message in his speech. The supplied report also says he plans to present the United Kingdom as a major player in artificial intelligence. The visit includes preparations for Burnham’s first meeting with Donald Trump.

Government sources told the Guardian that Burnham would seek a “third way” in dealing with the US president: less adversarial than Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, but less publicly flattering than Keir Starmer’s early approach. The sources said Burnham would rely on his personality in pursuing the relationship. The report does not provide details of the meeting’s date, agenda or expected agreements.

Burnham’s comments combine a domestic economic message with an effort to define Britain’s international role. The supplied material contains no response from Trump or the US administration.