Archive · 30 Sep 2026
Andy Burnham Opens Debate on Britain’s Possible EU Return
Andy Burnham said Britain could look at different ways of working with the European Union in the future.
He said this review might even consider rejoining the EU.
However, he also said rejoining is not necessarily his current view.
He stressed that he was not making a formal proposal to rejoin.
Burnham believes the Brexit arrangements have created more problems than benefits.
He also said Britain’s current relationship with the EU is not good enough.
His comments are different from Labour’s 2024 election plan.
That plan said Labour would try to make Brexit work rather than rejoin key EU structures.
Britain left the EU in 2020 after being a member for 47 years.
Andy Burnham said the UK government could consider rejoining the European Union in a longer-term review.
Burnham said Brexit arrangements had caused “more harm than good” and that the current EU relationship was inadequate.
He said rejoining the EU was not necessarily his current position and clarified he was not proposing it.
The comments differ from Labour’s 2024 manifesto, which pledged to “make Brexit work” and rejected rejoining the customs union or single market.
Britain formally left the EU in 2020 after 47 years of membership.
- Who
- Andy Burnham, the British prime minister, and the Labour Party.
- What
- Burnham said the government could consider options including possible EU rejoining as part of a longer-term review, while stressing that he was not proposing rejoining.
- When
- Burnham made the remarks on Wednesday, September 29, after discussing the issue at the Labour Party conference on Tuesday.
- Where
- The remarks were made in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation and during the Labour Party conference.
- Why
- Burnham said Brexit had caused more harm than good, weakened control over immigration and the economy, and left Britain with an inadequate relationship with the EU.
Reconsider Britain’s EU Relationship
Maintain Labour’s Brexit Position
Possible EU rejoining
Reconsider Britain’s EU Relationship
Burnham said a longer-term review could examine what is doable, potentially including rejoining the European Union, and he previously supported rejoining within his lifetime.
Maintain Labour’s Brexit Position
Burnham said rejoining was not necessarily his current position and clarified that he was not proposing it.
Assessment of Brexit
Reconsider Britain’s EU Relationship
Burnham said Brexit had caused more harm than good and blamed it for weaker control over immigration and the economy.
Maintain Labour’s Brexit Position
Labour’s 2024 manifesto focused on making Brexit work and ruled out rejoining the EU customs union or single market.
Future political mandate
Reconsider Britain’s EU Relationship
Burnham previously left open the possibility of campaigning at the next general election for a mandate to rejoin the EU.
Maintain Labour’s Brexit Position
As a candidate in the Makerfield by-election, Burnham had pledged not to revisit Brexit.
- Britain’s EU exit
- The United Kingdom formally left the European Union in 2020.
- Length of membership
- Britain had been an EU member for 47 years.
- Burnham’s position
- He said rejoining could be considered but was not necessarily his current position.
- Brexit assessment
- Burnham said Brexit arrangements had caused more harm than good.
- Labour’s 2024 position
- The party manifesto pledged to “make Brexit work” and ruled out rejoining the EU customs union or single market.
- Future review
- Burnham said he would use a delayed EU summit later in the year to present options and seek consensus.