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According to sources familiar with the discussions, British officials said at a meeting in July Burnham would not launch a “clamp down” on social media in tech, with Burnham focused on economic growth. 

The diplomats said Burnham was aware of the British reliance on US tech firms for growth, as seen in the UK’s response to the Defence Investment Plan. British Ambassador to the US Christian Turner sought to reassure US diplomats that any changes from recent legislation would likely not happen quickly, with the Online Safety Act taking nearly a decade from concept to implementation. 

In spite of the meeting, earlier this week PoliticsHome reported that British officials were hauled in to the US embassy on Monday and dressed down over the Online Safety Act, along with their plans to ban under-16s from social media and prioritise public broadcasters’ prominence online. 

At the earlier meeting in July, it is understood Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers warned the UK against overregulating AI, saying chatbots would become “lobotomized” if overregulated, and that users would assume they were government propaganda. 

The officials said that anti-tech big tech politicians were “not on the same page” as Burnham, comparing him to vice-president JD Vance due to his focus on marginalised communities.

A UK government source told PoliticsHome that the major risks from AI crossed borders, and therefore engaging with international partners was of the upmost importance. 

Separately, the UK’s Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Collins also held talks with the US Office for Science and Technology Policy about reviving the UK’s Tech Prosperity Deal with the US. 

When the deal was initially signed in September last year, Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the deal as “a generational step change in our relationship with the US” during Donald Trump’s state visit. However, the deal was ultimately suspended by Washington months later, with officials saying the UK had made insufficient progress in lowering trade barriers. 

As of yet, publicly, no progress has been made in restarting the deal, but privately PoliticsHome understands discussions are ongoing. A UK government source said that the UK would continue to engage on issues like the Tech Prosperity Deal in the near future. 

A UK government spokesperson said: “As close allies, UK and US officials meet regularly to discuss shared priorities. We are committed to ensuring that our trade and security continues to deliver real benefits for hardworking people on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The US State Department was contacted for comment.

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Days before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister, the British Ambassador to the US, Christian Turner, met with State Department officials to discuss Burnham’s plans as Prime Minister. 

According to sources familiar, British officials asked State Department Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers about how to combat the radical right, highlighting her recent speeches at the Jordan Peterson-founded Alliance for Responsible Citizenship conference in London. 

Under Secretary Rogers urged Turner and the British officials to be more transparent and honest in their work, and said that doing so would help to rebuild trust. 

Another proposal raised by Under Secretary Rogers was the now-abandoned Rwanda scheme, to process asylum seekers overseas. Rogers praised the plans in the context of plans to combat the radical right, though no suggestion to revive the plan was made. 

The Rwanda deal cost the taxpayer £700 million yet only removed four people, all of whom volunteered to leave.

Separately, PoliticsHome also understands that Rogers highlighted how the radical right had taken an interest in independent MP Rupert Lowe’s survivor-led rape gang inquiry, which he had funded via crowdsourcing. She was concerned with how he was conducting it, and called on British officials to publish government transcripts and materials related to prominent grooming gang cases, in order to lessen Lowe’s political impact. Lowe was not characterised as a member of the radical right himself during the discussion.

The Trump official also highlighted the cost of paying for transcripts of historic cases, noting that it cost Open Justice (now known as the Centre for Justice Policy) large amounts of money to release transcripts, and suggested the British government agreed to release the transcripts for free. 

The government has launched an independent inquiry into grooming gangs, with legal powers to hold institutions to account.

Lowe told PoliticsHome: “The country has been undermined by a philosophy which empowers the minority (often unsound) at the expense of the majority, which is Orwellian. I would be surprised if Sarah Rogers has a view on our Independent Rape Gang Enquiry crowd-funded by over 20,000 concerned people. It was done in order to expose systemic evil, and not for political gain.”

An FCDO spokesperson said: “As close allies, UK and US officials meet regularly to discuss shared priorities.

“We are committed to ensuring that our trade and security continues to deliver real benefits for hardworking people on both sides of the Atlantic.”

The State Department was contacted for comment. 

Andrea Egan addressing an anti-racism rally in March 2023. Then president of Unison, she has since become general secretary (Mark Kerrison/Alamy Live News)

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In a forthcoming interview with The House magazine, the head of Labour-affiliated Unison – the biggest trade union in Britain – also said Mahmood being “left in position” as Home Secretary was a “disappointment”.

Mahmood remained as Home Secretary when Andy Burnham succeeded Keir Starmer in No 10, disappointing some on the left of the Labour Party and trade unions which represent migrant workers affected by the proposed changes.

Egan said: “That was one of my disappointments – that Shabana Mahmood was left in position, simply because of her position on the migrant workers.

“As yet, there’s just a wall of silence at the moment. I think that’s absolutely unacceptable because they make these big announcements, and what they’ve got is these hundreds of thousands of workers who are just being left on a thread at the minute, wondering where their futures lie and what’s going to happen to them and their families.”

Asked whether there had been any engagement with Mahmood, the Unison general secretary replied: “Nothing. She’s not even answered requests for a meeting. I think that’s really disappointing.”

At the TUC Congress gathering of unions this week, the government was urged to rethink proposals critics say would drive away overseas workers needed in critical public service roles in the UK.

Under the changes, the standard wait to qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) would increase from five to 10 years, while those on health and social care visas would face a 15-year wait before receiving settled status.

They would impact people already living in the UK but not those who have been granted settlement.

Only with ILR do those who have come to the UK gain the right to live, work and study indefinitely in the country.

Speaking as a backbencher earlier this year, Angela Rayner – who is now back in Cabinet – called the changes “un-British”. Burnham at the time said the party “would do well to listen to what Angela has to say”.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Last November, we set out reforms to double the standard qualifying period for settlement to 10 years for most migrants, with shorter routes for those who contribute the most to the UK. 

“Under the proposals, key public service workers, including doctors and nurses, may settle after five years.

“A consultation on elements of those reforms has now closed, and we will set out our response in due course.”

Mahmood declined to comment.

Speaking to MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee about the reforms on Tuesday, the Home Secretary said: “We’re trying to strike the right balance between our responsibilities to people who have come here to work, our recognition of the failures we inherited as a government, and also our need to do right by the people who are already here, who pay for the systems that we all rely on.”