Andy Burnham has claimed he is “not sure” who Danny Dyer is following a profanity-filled outburst by the actor directed at the Prime Minister.
Speaking at a Surfers Against Sewage demonstration demanding the renationalisation of water firms, the Rivals actor declared he “didn’t know” who led the country or who had voted for him, as he hit out at Burnham.
When questioned in a video posted on X about whether he had a statement for the Prime Minister, Dyer replied: “I don’t know who the Prime Minister is, mate. Do you?”
After being informed that Burnham was residing at No 10, Dyer responded: “Yeah, but who is he? I don’t understand. Did anyone vote for him? Because I didn’t vote for him.
“I think we’ve had successive prime ministers that are c****. End of.”
En route to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Burnham was asked about the comments by journalists, and responded: “I’m not sure I know who he is. Is he the father-in-law of a West Ham player?”
The actor’s daughter, Dani, is wedded to West Ham United footballer Jarrod Bowen.
Burnham’s response to Dyer came as he prepares for his first face-to-face meeting with US president Donald Trump.
Burnham is expected to use his 24 hours in the US to call for greater international co-operation on AI, close ties between UK and EU industry, help for Ukraine and an end to the conflict in the Middle East.
But it is his meeting with Trump that will face the most scrutiny, after predecessor Sir Keir Starmer appeared to woo the president only to see the relationship deteriorate over tariffs and the war in Iran.
The two leaders have spoken only twice on the phone since Burnham became Labour leader in June, discussing Ukraine and the Middle East.
Trump has professed to know little about the Prime Minister, describing him as “the mayor of a town” and “liberal”.
Burnham said in 2021 that “any politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now”, although this weekend a minister dismissed that comment as “politics”.
