Burnham says ‘world has an opportunity’ to resolve Iran war after US midterms - The Independent
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Prime minister Andy Burnham has said that the “world has an opportunity now” to focus on resolving the Iran war and easing the cost of living, following a disastrous midterm elections for Donald Trump.
“That’s what the voters, in my view, are saying in the United States,” the Labour leader said, in a damning indictment of a humiliating set of results for the US president, which saw the Democrats take control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives as voters in conservative bastions shunned his Republican party.
Mr Trump has acknowledged the war hurt Republicans, saying people “didn't like it” when they had to pay more for fuel, but maintained he has no regrets over launching the conflict.
Mr Burnham said US voters had delivered a message that they want to “see the world coming together and focusing on the things that matter to people”.
Asked for his reaction to the results and whether he thought they would make Mr Trump more unpredictable, the PM said: “I feel the world has an opportunity now to unite around the issue that is affecting us all, and that’s the cost of living.
“That has been the issue that I have put front and centre in my first three months in Downing Street, and we’ve made moves. But I can’t get people’s cost of living pressures down until the conflict in the Middle East is resolved, the conflict in Ukraine started by Russia. These are the things we have to focus on now, and I hope the world has a moment to do that.
“And certainly, in my calls with leaders, that is what I will be asking everybody to do.”
Asked whether he thought the results were part of a global pattern, he added: “Well, I think people want to see the world coming together and focusing on the things that matter to people, and that’s what the voters, in my view, are saying in the United States.
“Let’s get focused in a laser-like way on those cost-of-living issues. And I think around the world there’s a recognition that countries can’t do that on their own, and can’t do that when we have division between between nations.”
He also said he would be working for de-escalation in the Middle East conflict, following fears Mr Trump may escalate the war now foreign policy is one of the few areas that will not be severely limited in the wake of the results.
Mr Trump was left to hide out in his private residence at the White House as the midterm results flooded in late on Tuesday.
His initial response had been to blame the candidates themselves, before posting a picture of a MAGA-style red hat with “VETO” written on it.
He has spent much of the last 30 days urging Americans to “pretend I am on the ballot” when they go to the polls.
The unpopular war in Iran has caused gas prices in the US and globally to skyrocket.
