Irish PM is first foreign leader to visit UK’s No10 North
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Micheál Martin reaffirmed their commitment to the Good Friday Agreement at talks in Manchester, Downing Street said.
Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach (Irish prime minister), has become the first international leader to visit No10 North in Manchester, Downing Street has said.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham hosted the visit on 18 September, the two leaders’ first official meeting since Burnham took office.
“This is a historic moment and a proud day for Manchester,” Burnham said before the talks.
No10 North is “all about creating opportunities for working people”, Burnham added, with the UK’s partnership with Ireland “a key part of that”.
“We are the closest of friends, and I look forward to further strengthening that friendship.”
In its account of the meeting, Downing Street said the two leaders had reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement.
They discussed their joint commitments to addressing the legacy of the Troubles and “working towards lasting reconciliation in Northern Ireland”.
The prime minister underlined the UK’s desire to work closely with Ireland during its presidency of the European Union, as the UK “seeks a closer relationship with Europe”.
On Ukraine, the two leaders were “clear in their united support” for the country against Russia’s “illegal full-scale invasion”.
The UK will host the next UK-Ireland Summit in the first half of 2027, which both leaders agreed was important for working together on priorities including security and trade.
After the meeting the two leaders were due to visit a local Irish community centre to meet representatives of the Irish community in Greater Manchester.
Ireland is the UK’s sixth largest trading partner, and the route between Dublin and London is the busiest air route within Europe, Downing Street said, with the relationship also underpinned by the shared Common Travel Area.
The visit is one of a series of stops the prime minister has been making around the country, having hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Liverpool and Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in Oxford in the days before.
