Burnham urges cost-of-living cooperation and Iran de-escalation after US midterms

Andy Burnham said losses for Donald Trump’s Republicans in the US midterm elections could create an opening for countries to address living costs and pursue an end to the Iran war, according to the supplied Guardian report. Speaking at the Commonwealth summit in Antigua, he said Trump had accepted the results and promised to raise those priorities with other leaders.

Burnham argued that conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine were obstructing efforts to ease household financial pressures. He said Britain would seek de-escalation in Iran and the full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. He stopped short of endorsing suggestions that the results demonstrated a worldwide retreat of rightwing populism.

Burnham presented international cooperation as central to his domestic affordability agenda, linking it to his approaches to Europe, the Middle East and the Commonwealth. The account sets out his diplomatic priorities, but provides no agreement with other governments, timetable for resolving the conflicts or quantified effect on household costs.