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Donald Trump has heaped praise on Andy Burnham amid the President's claims that the PM had indicated to him he would 'open up the North Sea' to drilling

Donald Trump has said he is "very impressed" with Andy Burnham as he repeated his claims that the Prime Minister had indicated he would open up the North Sea to drilling.

Last Wednesday, the US President said he'd been given the impression by the PM that he would "open up" the oil field - something Trump has been demanding for months.

But Mr Burnham would only say he'd indicated to the President that he'd be "pragmatic" about North Sea drilling. "I indicated in the phone call that we had a week last Monday that I would take a pragmatic approach when it comes to the North Sea, and that is my intention as we go forward from here," he said.

The Mirror understands the PM is likely to stick to Labour's manifesto pledge not to offer new licences to drill in the oil field, instead allowing "tie-backs" which would allow small-scale increases in drilling adjacent to already approved fields.

Speaking from the White House today Donald Trump said: "I spoke to him and he sounded terrific on this subject. You open it up you'll be a wealthy country.

"You keep it closed you'll be a bankrupt country, which is what you are now. Essentially you're a bankrupt country."

He added: "I spoke with your new Prime Minister and I was very impressed and he sort of indicated to me."

When the Prime Minister was asked about North Sea drilling on Thursday on a visit to Cumbria he said: "There is a resource there. When people are struggling, we can't ignore that. Hence, me indicating that to the president."

On the surface, drilling in the North Sea would be advantageous for mitigating the impact of a ongoing blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

But the true genesis of Trump's push for North Sea Drilling is much more personal.

Back in 2012, Trump was embroiled in a legal battle with the Scottish government, who wanted to build 11 wind turbines off the coast of Aberdeenshire. Right next to one of his golf courses.

Trump objected, arguing they would be ugly and ruin the view from his luxury resort.

He appealed the plans through the Scottish courts right up to the UK Supreme Court but lost

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