The French president has urged Andy Burnham to pursue even closer ties with the European Union in his last message to Sir Keir Starmer.
Emmanuel Macron has urged Andy Burnham to inch even further back towards the EU (Image: Getty)
Emmanuel Macron has appeared to urge Andy Burnham to pursue closer ties with the European Union in a telling final message to Sir Keir Starmer. The French president praised Sir Keir for “strengthening cooperation between the United Kingdom, France and our European partners” after the former Prime Minister departed Downing Street this morning.
He went on to urge Mr Burnham, who promised to win over voters who are “fed up with politics” in his first speech as leader, to give “new impetus to the partnership between the United Kingdom and the European Union“. Mr Burnham has previously said he would like to see Brexit overturned “in his lifetime” but more recently pledged not to “re-run” old arguments about the 2016 referendum.
Andy Burnham succeeded Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister this morning (Image: Getty)
Former EU relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, who was ousted from his role on Mr Burnham’s first day in Number 10, also rubbished the prospect of re-entry into the bloc as an “unrealistic” mirage in a speech last month.
While Sir Keir’s “EU reset” was billed by critics as a “Brexit betrayal”, uncertainty over Mr Burnham’s approach to relations with Brussels cast doubt on a planned UK-EU summit due to take place on July 22 earlier this month.
However, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen also said she had a “very good first discussion” with the new Prime Minister, adding that they “are both committed to bringing the EU and the UK closer and closer”.
Mr Burnham has not shied away from making sweeping changes in his first few hours in the role, after promising the biggest shakeup to British politics in 40 years.
He ousted a number of major Labour figures from Cabinet, including Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who he replaced with former Defence Secretary John Healey.
Mr Macron hasn’t been the only world leader to congratulate Mr Burnham on his new position, with the Prime Minister taking calls from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US leader Donald Trump shortly after entering Number 10.
He assured Mr Zelensky that the UK’s support for Ukraine will remain “steadfast” under his premiership and invited him to visit “at the earliest opportunity”, a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Mr Burnham also spoke to Mr Trump about the World Cup, Manchester and the situation in the Middle East in a wide ranging conversation, the spokesperson added.