Today's Edition
LONDON (AFP)
Andy Burnham put the idea of Britain rejoining the EU on the table Wednesday, breaking a taboo for a UK prime minister and reopening the divisive Brexit debate.
Burnham said his centre-left Labour government could go "all the way" and propose membership of the bloc after weighing the "pros and cons" of different possible relationships with Europe.
Rivals immediately criticised the comments, as the UK appeared to be gearing up for a re-run of the bitter "Brexit wars" that dominated politics following the contentious 2016 vote to leave the European Union.
Burnham, premier since July after Labour MPs turfed out Keir Starmer, told his party's annual conference on Tuesday that Britain's departure in 2020 had done "more harm than good".
He said Brexit had triggered "a decade of low growth" and Britain must "decide on a long-term relationship" with its largest trading partner.
Burnham promised to set out "different options" for future ties with Europe closer to a planned summit with the 27-member bloc later this year. Possibilities that could be looked at included joining the European single market and customs union, "or we could go all the way", Burnham told BBC Radio's Today Programme on Wednesday.
"So there are clearly options that need to be considered, and we have to look at what is doable, and what would be the pros and cons of each. What I am saying is it's not good enough to leave that question just hanging," he added.
Britain left the EU after Britons voted to leave by 52 percent to 48 percent. A poll by Survation in June found that 55 percent of voters would opt to rejoin if a referendum was held again.
Burnham is currently bound by Starmer's 2024 election-winning manifesto which ruled out joining a customs union, going back into the single market, or allowing the return of freedom of movement with the EU. Burnham's comments indicate that he plans to remove some of those red lines going into the campaign for the next general election, expected in 2029.
Burnham campaigned to stay in the EU and has previously said he hoped Britain would return within his lifetime. But during his successful campaign to return to parliament in June and replace Starmer in Downing Street, Burnham insisted he did not want to "rerun" the Brexit debate.
