On 2026-09-17, Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Manchester to discuss UK-EU ties and inject momentum into the Irish-British government partnership.
Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on 19 September 2026 in Manchester, marking Martin as the first international leader to visit Burnham's Number 10 North office. Talks covered the Good Friday Agreement, Stormont reform, border-poll rules, trade, Europe, Ukraine, and Gaza.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Belfast on 28 August that a border poll on Irish unity was "off the table," but SDLP leader said his assertion was "not correct." The dispute reflects disagreement over whether such a referendum remains possible.