Andy Burnham Considers Rejoining EU to Reverse Brexit Harm

Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that all options for the United Kingdom's future relationship with the European Union are on the table, including the possibility of reversing Brexit and rejoining the bloc. Speaking on the BBC's Today Programme and during a speech at the Labour Party (UK) conference in Liverpool, Burnham stated that the current Brexit settlement has caused "more harm than good" and triggered a decade of low growth.

Burnham intends to present a range of options—including joining the single market, a customs union, or full EU membership—to the public around a rescheduled summit in Brussels, potentially on November 20. This position represents a potential shift from the Labour Party (UK)'s 2024 manifesto, which had ruled out rejoining the single market or customs union.

The proposal has sparked significant political friction. Conservative Party (UK) deputy leader Alex Burghart and Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice accused the government of attempting to rejoin the EU "via the back door." Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey urged the Prime Minister to move beyond "maybes" and negotiate a concrete deal. Internal dissent also emerged from Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra, who argued that full reentry is not a realistic prospect for a generation due to political instability in France and Germany.

Despite the political divide, a POLITICO poll indicates 70% of British voters favor closer ties with the EU, including 51% of Reform UK supporters.