Prime Minister Andy Burnham said yesterday Britain should consider options for its future relationship with the European Union (EU), including rejoining the bloc, doubling down on his message that Brexit had ‘done more harm than good.’
The comments received a mixed reception from French President Emmanuel Macron. While he said it would be ‘very good news’ if the UK rejoined, he bristled at the idea that any reset of relations could include it being able to ‘pick and choose’ which parts of membership it wanted.
At his Labour Party’s annual conference on Tuesday, Burnham, who campaigned to stay in the EU in a 2016 referendum on membership, argued the nation should again consider options for ‘Britain’s long-term relationship with our European partners.’
He said Britain’s departure from the bloc had failed to fulfil its supporters’ pledge of ‘taking back control’, and instead had made the nation weaker, especially on the economy and on dealing with high levels of immigration.
Speaking to the BBC, Burnham again said Britain should consider options for a future relationship, including not only full membership but also rejoining the EU’s single market and/or a customs union – reigniting a divisive debate that has split the country for the last 10 years.
In interviews, he suggested any decision on a future referendum was a long way off.
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