Donald Trump has said he is «very impressed» with Prime Minister Andy Burnham and predicted a «very good relationship» between them, while pressing for a revival of North Sea drilling and describing the UK as «bankrupt».
Speaking about his dealings with Mr Burnham, the US president said the Prime Minister had indicated that he would be prepared to «open up the North Sea» to future drilling, according to reports of his remarks. The claim is likely to dominate British politics, where the future of oil and gas extraction in the North Sea is one of the most closely watched policy questions.
Mr Trump said he believed he and Mr Burnham were «going to have a very good relationship». The warm words came with a blunt economic warning, however, as the President called for drilling to resume and argued that a country in the UK's financial position could not afford to leave its natural resources untapped.
His language was stark: Britain, in his view, is «bankrupt» and needs to tap into what he described as North Sea «oil gold». The phrase is a direct challenge to the government, and it places Mr Burnham in a delicate position just as he seeks to define his relationship with Washington.
Mr Trump's intervention combines personal praise with a policy demand. On one level, he has gone out of his way to compliment the Prime Minister, saying he was very impressed with him. On another, he has put Mr Burnham on notice that the US expects Britain to open up the North Sea to more drilling.
The suggestion that Mr Burnham had already indicated openness to new drilling is particularly significant. If correct, it suggests the Prime Minister has given the US president an early signal of his intentions on one of the most contentious questions in British energy policy. If inaccurate, it places Mr Burnham in the awkward position of having to respond to a statement made by the president of the United States.
The President's claim that Mr Burnham indicated openness to new drilling will now be scrutinised in Westminster and beyond. It suggests that the issue may become a feature of the bilateral relationship in the months ahead, with Washington taking a direct interest in how the British government manages its energy resources.
The remarks also raise the political temperature around the Prime Minister domestically. Any suggestion that he is prepared to allow new drilling could cheer industry supporters and energy security campaigners, but it will alarm those who want the UK to move more quickly away from fossil fuels. Mr Trump's decision to frame the issue around the nation's alleged bankruptcy only adds to the pressure.
