Irish leader visits UK PM at Manchester's No 10 North hub

Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin became the first international leader to visit UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham's new 'No 10 North' government hub in Manchester on Friday. The meeting, held at Heron House in Albert Square, marked the first official bilateral talks between the two leaders since Burnham took office. Burnham used the occasion to advocate for deeper ties between the UK and the European Union, noting Ireland's current presidency of the EU Council. "The relationship between the UK and Ireland matters so much on every single level," Burnham stated. "In Europe, we are looking forward to a UK-EU summit later this year and, with Ireland in the presidency, wanting to take further steps to deepen the relationship with Europe." The leaders discussed a range of bilateral and international issues. Both emphasized their shared commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement as it approaches its 30th anniversary. Martin said they would discuss "the joint framework on addressing the legacy of the Troubles, and the importance now of making progress in implementing what has been agreed for the sake of victims and survivors.