UK PM Burnham reopens divisive debate on rejoining the EU

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham broke with years of political convention on Wednesday by openly suggesting that Britain could consider rejoining the European Union. Such a statement from a sitting prime minister had until now been treated as an unwritten boundary that politicians avoided crossing, and it has reignited wide-ranging discussion over Brexit, a topic many had considered settled.

Expert reaction

Catherine Barnard, Professor of European Law at the University of Cambridge, told France 24 that Burnham's remarks reflect a shift in thinking within the UK's political establishment. According to Barnard, the prime minister is effectively signalling that life outside the EU has proven colder than expected, prompting the government to begin weighing alternative paths forward.

Background

The United Kingdom left the European Union following the 2016 referendum, and since then the question of a possible return had not officially been raised as a realistic policy option. Burnham's comments mark the first time a UK leader of such seniority has publicly acknowledged that the consequences of leaving may have been harsher than promised, and that rejoining should be seriously considered.

The development suggests that Brexit, long regarded as a closed and politically sensitive subject, could once again become a major point of debate in British society and politics, with potential implications for the future relationship between London and Brussels.