Trump Hails North Sea Plan, Calls Britain ‘Poverty Stricken’
President Trump welcomed Mr Burnham’s plan to fast-track North Sea oil and gas exploration, writing on Truth Social that the move would take the United Kingdom from a “Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World”. The new Prime Minister is expected to permit new drilling in already-licensed fields, a notable break from his predecessor’s energy stance. Mr Trump had last month called Mr Burnham “extremely liberal”.
The intervention is an early test of the transatlantic relationship for a Prime Minister Mr Trump had openly disparaged. Mr Burnham’s willingness to expand North Sea output marks a pointed shift from Labour’s previous emphasis on halting new licences, and comes as Brent crude trades above $88 amid the Iran war. The move risks friction with the party’s environmental wing even as it courts energy-security arguments and Washington’s approval. On Ukraine, Mr Burnham vowed to stand with President Zelenskyy “100 percent”. Watch how he balances the drilling push against net-zero commitments.