French Minister Encourages UK to Reverse Brexit

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure has encouraged British politician Andy Burnham to pursue a full reversal of Brexit, stating that the United Kingdom could rejoin the European Union "any time." Lescure's remarks, made in an interview with the BBC, followed Burnham's recent speech at the Labour conference where he discussed exploring "options" for closer ties with the EU, potentially including a commitment to rejoin in future manifestos.

Lescure expressed his view that "British people decided" on Brexit and that "if they're willing to come back, they will have to decide." He added, "But what I can tell them is: come back, anytime." He suggested that rejoining would allow the UK to participate in discussions on trade matters, such as the "Made in Europe" scheme, which is currently posing challenges for British exports.

Burnham is scheduled to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin to discuss defense, security, and trade. The Prime Minister is also expected to engage with EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen next month to explore ways to deepen trade links.

The prospect of the UK returning to the EU has been met with positive reactions from some European leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez have both indicated that the UK would be welcomed back. Burnham himself stated in his Labour conference speech that Brexit had caused "more harm than good" and told ITV News that he "can't avoid the Europe question if I'm to put out a credible 10-year plan for Britain," adding that his "instincts" favor being closer to the EU given global threats.