Burnham said he was ready to call Trump ‘if it’s right for Britain’

“Strength is close to the people, close to the people, that doesn’t change as prime minister,” Burnham said.

When asked if he would call Trump if it was the right thing to do, he said, “Of course.”

Burnham said he was concerned about the president starting a conflict with Iran and said, “I will not hesitate to say what I think is right.”

The prime minister will not set a date for the government to spend 3 percent of GDP on defence. In the year Chancellor John Healey resigned from the previous government, saying that the country will not be at peace if there is no promise to spend this money by 2030.

But Burnham said: “I appointed my new chancellor very carefully about the importance of defense spending and his position on this issue.”

“The first challenge we both face is making sure the defense investment plan is fully funded and that’s what’s in front of us and we need to do that as we head into the budget later this year.”