Carney to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham for first time

Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to meet his counterpart in the United Kingdom for the first time.

The Prime Minister’s Office says Carney will meet Andy Burnham in Liverpool during a three-day trip to Europe set to start on Tuesday, and the two leaders will discuss Canada-U.K. relations on defence and security, energy, artificial intelligence and critical minerals.

The Canadian leader congratulated Burnham after the U.K. prime minister took office on July 20, Carney’s office said at the time, but this will be the first time the two world leaders meet in person.

Burnham is the United Kingdom’s fourth prime minister in four years after a revolving door in the country’s top office has seen former Conservative leaders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, and former Labour leader Keir Starmer, struggle to hold onto the job.

Starmer was forced out by his own party, and a leadership race within the governing Labour Party handed Burnham — former mayor of Greater Manchester — the keys to 10 Downing Street.

Carney is also set to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg and attend the State of the European Union address during the trip, adding to a busy week for the prime minister who is hosting a two-day investment summit in Toronto on Monday and Tuesday.

The European Union’s ambassador to Canada said earlier this week in an interview that Carney and EU officials are looking to hash out a new partnership when he visits the European Parliament.

Carney has been pursuing deeper ties with countries in Europe and around the world as relations with the United States have worsened.

On Tuesday, Canadian counter tariffs on billions of dollars of U.S. products went into effect in a tit-for-tat response after Canada-U.S. trade talks broke down in late August.