Andy Burnham, who was elected to represent the Leave-voting constituency of Makerfield, has reiterated his position that the arguments surrounding Brexit should not be revisited, despite earlier remarks suggesting a review of Britain's long-term relationship with the European Union.
During his campaign for the Makerfield seat, Burnham explicitly stated his opposition to having Brexit on the ballot paper for the by-election. "My view is that Brexit has been damaging, but I also believe the last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments," he told ITV News on May 16. He further emphasized that Britain would remain "stuck in a permanent rut" if discussions continually focused on division.
Burnham, who went on to win the by-election and subsequently became the Labour leader and Prime Prime Minister, stated his respect for the referendum decision. "I respect the decision that was made at the referendum and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don't respect that vote," he said.
When questioned at his party's conference about whether his constituents' views on revisiting the UK's relationship with Brussels reflected those expressed on the doorstep, Burnham reaffirmed his commitment. "I stand by everything I said in the by-election," he stated. "I said that we shouldn't be going straight to a divisive referendum and that's not what I'm proposing right now."