Burnham does not rule out UK's return to the EU
UK Prime Minister Andrew Burnham said in his first speech as PM at the Labour Party conference that Brexit has done more harm than good, and signaled openness to reviewing the UK's future relationship with the EU.
UK Prime Minister Andrew Burnham, delivering his first speech to the Labour Party conference since becoming prime minister, said Brexit has caused the country more harm than benefit. He pledged to outline possible paths forward around the time of a UK-EU summit expected later this year.
Speaking to BBC's "Today" programme, Burnham said he does not want to leave the issue unresolved and wants to clearly set out the direction he believes the UK should take over the next decade. Asked whether he would like to see Britain rejoin the European Union, he said he wants to weigh the available options first.
Several possible paths
According to Burnham, one option is to keep things exactly as they are now, if the public considers that the right place to be. He also pointed to alternatives such as the customs union arrangement proposed by former chancellor George Osborne, and the single market proposal put forward by the Liberal Democrats at their conference. Burnham suggested the country could also "go the whole way," though he did not specify what that would entail in practice.
Labour's 2024 general election manifesto explicitly ruled out rejoining the customs union, returning to the single market, or restoring free movement with the EU. Nevertheless, Burnham indicated he would be willing to recommend crossing these so-called "red lines" in the future.
In his conversation with the BBC, the prime minister stressed that there are clearly several options that need to be considered, and that the government must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each before deciding on the future shape of relations with the European Union.
