By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-09-22 14:45:45 | Updated at 2026-09-22 15:24:16
38 minutes ago
Andy Burnham is facing his "first big test" on the world stage ahead of his first face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump, Bev Turner has told GB News.
Analysing the Prime Minister's visit to New York for the 81st United Nations General Assembly, the People's Channel presenter questioned whether Mr Burnham will feel "more comfortable in Manchester or Manhattan".
The two political leaders, who have only spoken twice before on the phone, will come face-to-face in New York amid tensions over Chagos, the Falklands and the Middle East.
Discussing their upcoming meeting, Bev argued that Mr Trump is also "not in his home environment" and sees the UN Summit as a "globalist talking shop".
Bev told GB News: "President Trump is not at home in this environment. Lots of members of his Government roll their eyes at the concept of the United Nations, and he sees it as a globalist talking shop.
"He said in 2019, the future belongs to patriots, not globalists, and he finds himself back here seven years later, I think, even more wedded to that particular idea."
She argued that the summit will provide Britons with more insight into where Mr Burnham sits on the "globalist conversation".
She said: "But what we can find out today is where Andy Burnham sits on that particular conversation.
"We know that his predecessor, Keir Starmer, famously said if he had a choice to be at Davos or Westminster, he would be at Davos.
Bev Turner has analysed Andy Burnham's first 'big test' ahead of his meeting with US President Donald Trump
REUTERS / GB NEWS
"So let's see today whether Andy Burnham is happier in Manhattan or Manchester, because it will tell us a lot about him."
As host Tom Harwood argued that we "all know the answer to that question", Bev was quick to disagree.
She responded: "Well do we, Tom? I think geographically, he'd be happier in Manchester. But I don't think I do know where he sits in terms of the globalist agenda to which we are all wedded.
"Remember, these climate agreements which are being talked about were signed and agreed in 2015.
"It's what President Trump calls communism by stealth. It is as a radical environmentalism, which he wants no part of.
Donald Trump has arrived at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York ahead of his meeting with Andy Burnham
REUTERS
"Remember he took America out of the Paris climate agreement not once, but twice. So where does Andy Burnham sit on this?"
Bev recalled Mr Trump's calls on the Prime Minister to increase drilling and "open up the North Sea" and how he will be "under pressure" going into talks.
She told GB News: "We know that President Trump is going to place Burnham under pressure to drill.
"He says every single time he has a camera in front of his face and I get to ask him a question about the UK, he says, your windmills are killing your economy, you need to drill in the North Sea.
"So he will be asking Andy Burnham the tough questions over that I imagine today. And if he doesn't, no doubt some members of the press will as well."
Bev told GB News that Andy Burnham will be 'under pressure' from Donald Trump to increase drilling
GB NEWS
Noting that Mr Burnham may have "more in common" with Mr Trump on a personality scale, Bev concluded that the meeting will be a "big test" for the Prime Minister.
She said: "There are huge geopolitical and defence issues to be spoken about today and for Andy Burnham, this is the first big test on the international stage. We haven't seen him in this sort of setting before.
"He looked quite comfortable on his romantic stroll with Pedro Sanchez, but of course, that is the man who is responsible for the invasion in Ceuta with the terrible situation there with illegal migration, so it would have been great to hear what Andy Burnham had to say to Pedro Sanchez and whether they found agreement or not.
"It's going to be absolutely blockbuster. Whatever happens today, we're going to learn a huge amount about Andy Burnham.
"I think personally they will get along well. He will certainly have more rapport than he did with Keir Starmer.
"They had nothing in common in a from a personality point of view. President Trump is always in on the joke in the room, and I think Andy Burnham shares that sense of humour.
"But Trump will take no prisoners because he loves the UK, he loves our country, and he wants us to do well."
