Carney to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for first time

Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham in person for the first time during a three-day European trip beginning Tuesday.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Carney will meet Burnham in Liverpool. The leaders are to discuss Canada-UK relations, including defence and security, energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

Carney congratulated Burnham after he took office on July 20, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, but the Liverpool meeting will be their first in-person meeting.

Burnham is the United Kingdom’s fourth prime minister in four years. Former Conservative leaders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, along with former Labour leader Keir Starmer, struggled to retain the office. Starmer was forced out by his party, and a Labour leadership race put Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, in 10 Downing Street.

Carney is also expected to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg and attend the State of the European Union address. The trip follows a busy start to the week, with Carney hosting a two-day investment summit in Toronto on Monday and Tuesday.

The European Union’s ambassador to Canada said earlier this week that Carney and EU officials hope to work out a new partnership during his visit to the European Parliament. Carney has been pursuing closer ties with European countries and others as relations with the United States have worsened.

On Tuesday, Canadian counter-tariffs on billions of dollars in U.S. products took effect after Canada-US trade talks broke down in late August.