Andy Burnham hosts Irish Taoiseach at Number 10 North to rebuild EU relations

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham met Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin in Manchester on Friday to discuss deepening British relations with Europe, marking the first time a foreign leader has been hosted at the government’s new "Number 10 North" headquarters.

The bilateral talks focused heavily on UK-EU relations, with Britain seeking exemptions from Brussels' upcoming "Made in Europe" industrial plan. Ireland currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, making Martin a critical intermediary for Burnham's efforts to secure a bespoke deal with the bloc.

"We are looking forward to a UK-EU summit later this year," Burnham said, adding that he wanted to "take further steps to deepen the relationship with Europe." Martin echoed this, saying Ireland wanted to see "stronger and closer" relations between the EU and the UK.

What was discussed about Northern Ireland?

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. The discussion follows remarks by US President Donald Trump during a recent trip to Dublin, where he said he would "love to see" a united Ireland and predicted it would happen eventually.

While Burnham previously stated a border poll was "off the table," his Northern Ireland Secretary, Sir Chris Bryant, later clarified that the government fully accepts the principle of consent and the referendum provisions outlined in the 1998 peace agreement. In Manchester, Martin welcomed the clarification and called for greater clarity on what conditions would trigger such a referendum, arguing that leaving it solely to the discretion of the Northern Ireland Secretary is "not satisfactory."

Downing Street said the two leaders also discussed reforming the Stormont institutions and replacing the controversial Troubles legacy legislation. Martin also thanked Burnham for stiffening sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Why is the opposition criticizing Burnham?

As Burnham hosted his Irish counterpart, opposition parties in London criticized the Prime Minister for failing to match the urgency of other European leaders regarding Russian security threats.

The criticism followed French President Emmanuel Macron's announcement of a new plan to defend France's critical infrastructure against escalating Russian cyber and drone attacks. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warned that British intelligence suggests a Russian attack on a NATO member could happen by 2030.

"Our European allies are responding with growing urgency, yet the Government still will not say what it intends to do on defence," Badenoch said. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also demanded the government brief opposition leaders on the threat, asking: "Are we doing enough?"

The Manchester summit concluded with a visit to the Brian Boru Irish Club in Ashton-in-Makerfield, where the politicians toasted the 90th birthday of retired parish priest Canon Patrick MacNally. Martin praised Burnham’s "sense of duty" for pushing ahead with the meeting despite the recent death of his father.