Taoiseach Micheál Martin to meet UK prime minister Andy Burnham in Manchester today 

Irish and UK leaders meet in the wake of Donald Trump's unheralded call for Irish unity during his recent visit to Ireland

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is the first international leader to visit No 10 North in Manchester which Andy Burnham (above) set up after he became UK prime minister in July. Pic: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA

A meeting between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and British prime minister Andy Burnham will take place in Manchester today, Friday, in the wake of a push for Irish unity from US president Donald Trump.

It is the first time Mr Martin will be meeting with Mr Burnham since the latter became UK prime minister, with discussions due to take place at the recently-established No 10 North in Manchester.

The Taoiseach is the first international leader to be received at No 10 North, with the invite sent by Mr Burham in July.

There will be a private tete-a-tete between Mr Martin and Mr Burnham before a wider meeting with officials present.

The meeting also takes place in the wake of US president Donald Trump’s visit to Ireland last weekend, where he expressed his support for a united Ireland.

It also comes after a meeting between the leaders of Sinn Féin, the Scottish National Party, and Plaid Cymru, which called on the British government to prepare for constitutional change.

Mr Martin had previously said the criteria for calling a border poll was an issue which needed “to be discussed”, given that it is within the purview of the British government to decide when one takes place.

The Good Friday Agreement

“Clearly, at the time of the Good Friday Agreement, that issue [a border poll] was left perhaps deliberately vague," he said. "That’s an issue that, at some stage, needs to be discussed.” 

Mr Burnham also faced significant criticism for his remarks that a border poll was off the table, during a visit to Belfast last month. The criticism lead to Mr Burham subsequently walking back his remarks.

Alongside the visit to No 10 North, Mr Martin and Mr Burnham are due to travel to Wigan for meetings with the Irish community there.

Ahead of his arrival, Mr Martin said he was looking forward to the meeting and to “reaffirming the strength and importance of the relationship between our two countries”.

He said discussions would include Northern Ireland, particularly addressing issues around legacy issues. 

Mr Martin said it was important that progress is made for the “sake of victims and survivors” and for wider reconciliation across the two islands.

“We will also discuss how best to work in partnership to sustain the overall success of the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts in the time ahead,” Mr Martin said.

“Our discussions will also cover EU and international issues, including Ireland’s current presidency of the Council of the EU, and the next EU-UK summit, and the situation in Ukraine, Gaza, and the Middle East more broadly.”