Burnham vows to ‘deepen relationship’ with EU as he hosts Ireland’s Martin

David Hughes and Pat Hurst, Press Association

Andy Burnham has used a meeting with Irish counterpart Micheál Martin to push for deeper ties between the UK and the European Union.

He said the relationship with Ireland “matters so much on every single level” as the Taoiseach became the first international leader to visit No 10 North.

The Prime Minister said it was “very fitting” for Mr Martin to be the first head of government to visit the Manchester site because of the close ties between the North West and Ireland.

Mr Martin said he looked forward to the UK having a “stronger and closer” relationship with the EU.

Ireland currently holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Mr Burnham said: “The relationship between the UK and Ireland matters so much on every single level.

“Close to home, as co-custodians of the Good Friday Agreement, we are working together to uphold its principles as we approach the 30th anniversary next year.

“In Europe, we are looking forward to a UK-EU summit later this year and, with Ireland in the presidency, wanting to take further steps to deepen the relationship with Europe.”

Mr Burnham said: “Here in the North West, but across the UK, so many people have Irish connections and they will be so pleased to see you with us today.

“So you are extremely welcome.

“I’m really pleased that you’re our first visitor here.”

Mr Martin said it had been a “very challenging and difficult week” for Mr Burnham following the death of his father Roy and “I think your sense of duty shines through”.

He said that “in a global world marked by a lot of uncertainty” it was important for the two close neighbours to have “very strong engagement”.

The Taoiseach said: “We look forward to discussing with you even stronger and closer relationships between the European Union and the United Kingdom, which will be of benefit to the European Union and indeed to Ireland, quite frankly.”

Mr Martin thanked Mr Burnham for his stance on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Prime Minister reset the Government’s approach to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and stiffened sanctions over West Bank settlements.

He said: “I think for the United Kingdom under your leadership to take the stance that its taken, I think, is important for… standing up for humanitarian values and justice and fulfilling the rights of all in the Middle East to security, to peace and to some decent future for their children and generations to come.”

Downing Street said that during the meeting the two leaders “discussed the importance of their joint commitments to addressing the legacy of the Troubles and working towards lasting reconciliation in Northern Ireland”.

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the pair also looked ahead to the UK’s hosting of the next UK-Ireland Summit in the first half of 2027 and “agreed its importance in working together across priorities including security and trade”.

The meeting comes just days after US president Donald Trump made headlines by saying he would “love to see” a united Ireland while at a meeting with the Taoiseach during a visit in Dublin.

Mr Trump said a united Ireland would “happen eventually” and that the Taoiseach was “the right man over here to get it moving”.

Later, the Prime Minister spoke of his own Liverpool Irish roots as he took the Taoiseach on a visit to the oldest Irish club in the UK, the Brian Boru, founded in 1889 in Ashton-in-Makerfield in the Prime Minister’s own constituency.

Tom Moran, president of the club, said it had been set up by Irish immigrants who had come to England to work in the local coal mines and cotton mills, to preserve their heritage and culture.

Mr Moran said back in those days, some of the Irishmen, “entered through its doors and left through the windows.”

He also passed on his condolences to the Prime Minister over the death of his father.

Both politicians spent time speaking to regulars and sat either side of Canon Patrick MacNally, the retired parish priest of St Jude’s Church in nearby Wigan, and celebrating his 90th birthday today.

Mr Burnham said: “There you go Canon Pat, that’s a pretty good birthday guest!

“This part of the world has deep links to Ireland, I include myself in that, in terms of my own family history with Liverpool Irish connections.

“But so many people across the whole of the north of England, actually across the whole of the country, have that connection to Ireland, so your visit Micheal today, will be so important to them, they will really welcome the fact that you are here, particularly the people of this part of the world.

“We are working together aren’t we, on so many things, in terms of where we go from here.

“As I looked at the world as it is right now, Britain and Ireland being close, working together, deepening the partnership, based on those ties, is just important in this changing world.

“Your visit today really cements that. We’re both off to New York next week, aren’t we, for United Nations General Assembly, but it’s just great to come from here to go there, we are always rooted in our communities.

“We always know, where we came from, that’s the important thing, isn’t it?

“And I feel that this week, obviously, you kindly mentioned my father Tom, you know, I’m a person like that, if you know where you came from, you’ve got a good chance of knowing where you are going in life, you’ll stay true to the things that shaped you and forged you.

“I certainly am proud of the Irish heritage that I have in my family. And I was with the Prime Minister of Canada at the new Everton stadium this week…I’m having a busy week.

“Another Irishman, it wasn’t unnoticed, a Mayo man, I think.

“Ireland, has this amazing ability of reaching in to some many people so many people’s heritage, and Ireland is loved around the world for so many reasons.”

The Taoiseach, thanked the club in Gaelic for the invite and providing a “home from home” for Irish emigrants.

He also congratulated Canon MacNally, who is originally from Louisburgh, County Mayo, on his birthday and Mayo’s recent win in the All-Ireland final.

Canon Macnally said: “Thank you very, very much and I’m deeply grateful and appreciative we have the two Prime Ministers with us, it’s a great, great honour.

“And we are deeply grateful and appreciative of the great work that they do in fostering good relations between these islands, we are so pleased about that, so thank you.”

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