Nicolai Haugsted
Andy Burnham invites Donald Trump to Manchester after president dismissed it as a “town”.
Donald Trump may soon get the chance to discover exactly what Manchester has to offer.
Britain will bring the G20 leaders’ summit to the northern English city in November 2027, putting Prime Minister Andy Burnham in the unusual position of welcoming some of the world’s most powerful leaders to the place he governed for nearly a decade.
Among those expected to receive an invitation is Trump – the man who previously referred to Burnham as “very liberal” and described Manchester simply as a “town,” Express can reveal.
Burnham has already made clear that particular description did not survive their first phone call.
“Politicians say things throughout their career, but now the important thing is to focus on the moment you are in,” Burnham told reporters ahead of his trip to New York.
“I did say to the president in our first phone call, I said, ‘Mr President, Manchester isn’t “some town”.’ I said, ‘This is Manchester.'”
Burnham knows his future G20 venue considerably better than most prime ministers would.
He served as mayor of Greater Manchester from 2017 until returning to Parliament earlier this year, before becoming Labour leader and prime minister in July.
His relationship with Trump has changed along with the job.
Burnham was sharply critical of the US president before entering Downing Street, but his approach since becoming prime minister has focused on maintaining Britain’s relationship with Washington while leaving room for disagreement. Reuters reported ahead of his New York trip that Burnham intends to put British interests first even where they clash with Trump’s position.
Past insults, at least publicly, appear to have been placed in the diplomatic drawer.
“The right thing to do is to have a laugh about it, isn’t it, and move beyond it,” Burnham said of Trump’s Manchester remark.
Manchester gets the G20
Britain was already scheduled to take over the G20 presidency in 2027, after the United States hosts the group this year.
Manchester has now been confirmed as the location for the leaders’ summit, with world leaders due to gather at Manchester Central in November 2027. The convention complex is a converted Victorian railway station and has previously hosted everything from major concerts to political conferences.
Preparations for bringing the summit to Manchester began before Burnham became prime minister.
Britain’s role as host was itself confirmed under his predecessor, Keir Starmer, in November 2025. The G20 brings together 19 major economies alongside the European Union and African Union, accounting collectively for roughly 85 percent of global GDP.
Other events connected with Britain’s year-long presidency are expected to take place elsewhere across the UK.
Trump will not be the only complicated guest
Washington is hardly the only capital capable of creating diplomatic headaches for Downing Street.
China’s Xi Jinping is among the leaders expected to be invited, while Argentina’s Javier Milei will also be on the guest list.
Russia remains a G20 member as well, meaning an invitation is expected to be extended despite Britain’s continuing support for Ukraine and its strained relationship with Moscow following Russia’s invasion.
Exactly who ultimately attends will therefore matter almost as much as where everyone meets.
Burnham’s Manchester announcement coincides with his first major outing on the global diplomatic stage as prime minister.
He is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly and is due to meet Trump face-to-face on Tuesday. The pair have spoken by telephone before, including a call earlier this month covering Ukraine, the Middle East and the global economy.
