Labour Divided Over Potential EU Re-engagement

Labour faces internal division over suggestions that the UK could potentially rejoin the European Union, a prospect that has been met with skepticism by senior party figures and ministers.

Andy Burnham, a prominent figure within the Labour Party, has indicated that if public opinion leans towards rejoining the EU, he would consider including a vote on the issue in the party's next election manifesto. This stance has opened old wounds from the Brexit debate and exposed a rift within the party's frontbench.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds expressed concerns at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, stating that "constitutional questions" surrounding the UK's relationship with the EU create "a lot of uncertainty for business." He also noted that rejoining the customs union might necessitate the UK accepting a broad range of regulatory alignments without significant reciprocal benefits.

Further complicating the discussion, unnamed ministers reportedly told The i Paper that "Nobody in Europe wants to start renegotiating treaties and neither do we." This sentiment suggests a lack of appetite from both sides to reopen past agreements.

However, Nick Thomas-Symonds, who previously led the UK's discussions with Brussels under Sir Keir Starmer, offered a different perspective. He told The i Paper that Mr. Burnham is "right to open up a national debate on the next steps in our relationship with the EU, with all options on the table."

The debate was initially fueled by Prime Minister discussions about the UK's future relationship with Brussels, which included exploring options beyond the current arrangement, such as rejoining the single market or customs union, or pursuing an "associate membership" similar to that offered to Canada. The Prime Minister did not rule out a new national vote on the matter, acknowledging its potential divisiveness.

This development comes despite the Prime Minister's previous assertions, made while campaigning in a Leave-voting constituency, that he did not wish to re-run the Brexit arguments or undermine the referendum result. During the Labour Party conference, he stated a desire to "draw a line under a decade of division," yet his recent comments risk reigniting the 2016 debate.

Mr. Burnham defended his position, stating in an interview, "I can't avoid the Europe question if I'm to put out a credible ten-year plan for Britain, that's why I've started this process." He also told ITV that it is right to "open up the discussion because, a decade on, we're not where we need to be, the country isn't functioning as it should."