+34Andy Burnham has opened the door to the UK rejoining the EU, saying Britain could go all the way to full membership as he prepares to reconsider Labour's post-Brexit red lines before the UK-EU summit in November.
Andy Burnham has opened the door to the UK rejoining the EU, saying Britain could go all the way to full membership. He said he would lay out the different options for Britain's long-term relationship with the EU before the UK-EU summit in November.
His comments came as he prepares to reconsider Labour's post-Brexit red lines. Burnham used his emotional Labour conference speech to spell out how wide-ranging his consideration of Britain's future with Brussels could be. He said Brexit had caused more harm than good. He argued that leaving the EU had weakened Britain's cooperation with EU countries on migration.
Options for UK EU Relationship Examined
He said the government could keep the current arrangements, seek a customs union, return to the single market or go all the way in what would be full EU membership. Speaking to the BBC, he said ministers would examine what is doable and the pros and cons of each option.
He told the BBC there are clearly options that need to be considered, and we have to look at what is doable and what would be the pros and cons of each. Asked whether he wanted the UK to rejoin the bloc, the prime minister told Radio 4's Today programme he wanted to look at the options. He added: We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay.
We could look at what George Osborne has said about a customs union, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about the single market or we could go all the way. Labour fought the 2024 election on a manifesto that explicitly ruled out returning to the EU single market or customs union, as well as restoring freedom of movement. A customs union would bring Britain much closer to the EU on trade in goods.
Customs Union and Single Market Details
The UK and EU would apply the same tariffs to imports from elsewhere, removing trade barriers businesses have faced after Brexit. But it would not on its own put Britain back inside the wider single market or remove every border check. If Britain were to rejoin the single market, it would be a significant step with the country having to accept closer alignment with EU rules.
Although Burnham has not set out any timetables or specifics, to go all the way would mean considering EU membership. He went further in his interviews on Wednesday than his conference speech. In that speech he told delegates Britain could not keep avoiding a decision about its long-term relationship with its largest trading partner. The prime minister has vowed to set out different choices facing the country around the time of the UK-EU summit in November.
He told BBC Breakfast: We've been in a rut. The country hasn't been working for people as it should. The summit was originally supposed to take place in July under Keir Starmer but was postponed after his resignation. While Britain will take part in the Erasmus + scheme again in 2027, the EU has authorised talks at the summit on closer electricity-market links.
Nov Summit Assessments and Trade Negotiations
Negotiations on food trade and youth mobility are still under way. Burnham said the summit would assess how the two parties could work more closely. In his speech on Tuesday in Liverpool, he said: We will not give Britain the clear path we need into the rest of the century until we decide on a long-term relationship with what is still our largest market. He added: I cannot say to you that where we are is good enough.
Brexit has done more harm than good. So I will take the opportunity around the summit to lay out to you, to lay out to the country, what I believe are the different options for Britain's long-term relationship with our European partners. And there are different options. The prime minister was more cautious when pressed on help households could receive in the budget given the looming winter and rising energy and fuel costs.
Budget Fuel Duty and Fiscal Discipline Plans
Burnham said he was considering everything that might help people, including whether to scrap planned fuel duty increases. He told BBC Breakfast: The question I've got is: How many can I afford? The chancellor, John Healey, has said fiscal discipline will be at the heart of his budget despite facing calls to offer people more help with the cost of living. Burnham's conference appearance was described as a gamble on a radical progressive plan to help Britain rise again.
He was also seen as visible and engaged in listening mode with businesses at the Labour party conference. The cost of the green transition could be spread among UK taxpayers, the energy secretary has suggested.
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