Burnham Hints at Rejoining EU, Sparking Labour Backlash

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has prompted a backlash within the Labour party after suggesting that a future Labour government might seek to rejoin the European Union. Burnham, speaking in the wake of his Labour conference address where he attributed many of the country's problems to Brexit, indicated that he would outline options for the UK's future relationship with the EU at an upcoming summit with Brussels.

His remarks have caused concern among some Labour colleagues. Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra described the prospect of rejoining the bloc as "unrealistic."

In subsequent interviews, Burnham told the BBC that he did not want the issue to remain undecided and emphasized the need for clarity on "where we want Britain to go in the next decade." When questioned about the possibility of the UK rejoining the EU, he stated on Radio 4's Today programme that he intended to "look at the options."

Burnham outlined several possibilities, telling the program, "We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay." He added, "We could look at what (former Conservative chancellor) 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."

This statement appears to move beyond the commitments made in Labour's 2024 election manifesto, which explicitly ruled out joining a customs union, re-entering the single market, or reinstating freedom of movement with the EU. However, Burnham has suggested a willingness to consider options that extend beyond these established red lines.

"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," Burnham told the BBC. He framed the discussion about the UK's future European ties as a necessary step in his plan to redirect the country. "We've been in a rut. The country hasn't been working for people as it should," he said in an interview with BBC Breakfast.