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Andy Burnham is about to have a crash course in hardcore geopolitics | Rafael Behr

The Guardian UK Wednesday 01 July 2026, 08:00 UTC By Rafael Behr 1 min read
Key Points

The likely next prime minister would rather be in Warrington than Washington, but foreign policy will dominate his agenda more than he thinksIf Andy Burnham is lucky, he will get some time to adjust to the pace of life as prime minister before dealing with his first international crisis. Donald Trump is an engine of constant turmoil. Aftershocks from his recent military adventure in the Middle East will be felt for years.

The likely next prime minister would rather be in Warrington than Washington, but foreign policy will dominate his agenda more than he thinks

If Andy Burnham is lucky, he will get some time to adjust to the pace of life as prime minister before dealing with his first international crisis. It won’t be long.

Donald Trump is an engine of constant turmoil. Aftershocks from his recent military adventure in the Middle East will be felt for years. None of the declared war aims were achieved. The Iranian regime was not toppled. The terms agreed for a ceasefire promise Tehran more generous sanctions relief with fewer conditions than were imposed under the nuclear containment deal that Barack Obama signed in 2015. It is a worse arrangement than the one Trump discarded in his first term as “one of the worst deals ever”. Stocks of US munitions and credibility have been drained.

Rafael Behr is a Guardian columnist

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Andy Burnham (PERSON) Rafael Behr (PERSON) Warrington (LOCATION) Washington (LOCATION) Donald Trump (PERSON) the Middle East (LOCATION) Iranian (ORG) Tehran (LOCATION) Barack Obama (PERSON) Trump (ORG) US (LOCATION) Guardian (ORG)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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