Prime Minister restates ambition to take the UK back into the EU in ITV interview, sparking fury from Nigel Farage
Andy Burnham doubled down on his support of the EU. (Image: Daily Express)
Andy Burnham has doubled down on his personal ambition to see the United Kingdom dragged back to Brussels in his lifetime. Dropping his biggest hint yet that it could be in the next Labour manifesto, Mr Burnham nonetheless ruled out a snap election. The Prime Minister is due to attend a summit with Eurocrats next month where he has suggested that nothing is “off the table” in those talks.
Mr Burnham, despite pledging not to re-run the Brexit debate when running for the Makerfield by-election, has repeatedly commented on aligning more closely with the bloc.
Speaking last year, he said he wanted back in, a view he shared this morning in a shocking news interview.
He told Good Morning Britain today, “In my lifetime I would like to see that happen,” but added he was “not going to move ahead of the public.”
Stunned program hosts had also asked if he planned to rejoin soon, to which the Prime Minister retorted he was “not proposing any changes in this Parliament” that would see the UK reshackled to Brussels.
Andy Burnham confronted by Express reporter (Image: Daily Express)
During the by-election which saw him returned to Parliament, Mr Burnham repeatedly refused requests to be interviewed by this paper about his position on the EU. When challenged directly he chose to run away.
Later, when standing for the seat which voted 65% in favour of Leave, he pledged not to re-run the debate on Brexit. Mr Burnham voted and campaigned to Remain, and then demanded a second referendum within months of his side losing.
This morning he argued that he was not re-running the referendum as he branded the UKs exit deal “a harder Brexit than was proposed”.
Mr Burnham blamed Britain’s lack of control over its borders on leaving, despite himself suggesting he would be open to signing back on to the Freedom of Movement scheme.
Last night the Prime Minister’s overtures on the scheme sparked fury from Brexiteers. Nigel Farage, speaking exclusively to the Daily Express warned “the cat’s out of the bag.”
“Andy Burnham wants to open the door to 450 million people and leave us powerless to stop them coming in. Freedom of movement would undercut working people’s wages with cheap foreign labour – a complete betrayal of what the British people want and voted for.”
The Reform UK leader demanded that, if Mr Burnham wants “open-door immigration risking millions more arrivals, he should call a general election and ask the public.”
Panic that Labour is planning to drag the country back into the EU has only grown after Mr Burnham repeatedly has hinted at aspects of the bloc he wants to sign onto. Your paper is running its ‘Give Us A Proper Brexit’ campaign aimed at slashing red tape, imposing a protecting fishing zone and leaving the ECHR.
BREXIT FURY ERUPTS AGAIN! ANDY BURNHAM DOUBLES DOWN IN A TENSE GMB SHOWDOWN
Political commentary and argumentative essay – approximately 1,200 words
Britain’s bitter Brexit debate has exploded back into the political spotlight after Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended his controversial comments about the country’s future relationship with the European Union during a tense appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
Burnham’s remarks have triggered fierce criticism from Brexit supporters, opposition politicians and even some voices within his own political camp. His suggestion that Britain should have an honest discussion about closer European integration has raised serious questions about whether Labour is preparing to reverse some of the biggest political decisions of the past decade.
The Prime Minister insists that he is not proposing an immediate return to the EU. However, his admission that he would personally like Britain to rejoin the bloc within his lifetime has created a political storm.
For millions of voters who supported Brexit, the controversy is about more than trade agreements. It is about democracy, national sovereignty and whether politicians are respecting the promises made to the British public.
1. Burnham Refuses to Rule Out Britain’s Return to Europe
During his GMB interview on 26 October, Burnham made clear that he was unhappy with the current Brexit arrangements.
He argued that Britain had experienced a harder Brexit than voters were originally promised during the 2016 referendum campaign.
According to the Prime Minister, leaving the EU had weakened Britain’s economy and had not delivered the promised improvements in immigration control.
His comments were particularly controversial because he had previously assured voters in his Makerfield constituency that he would not reopen the Brexit argument.
Burnham attempted to defend his position by insisting that he would respect the public’s decision.
However, he also admitted that he would like Britain to return to the European Union within his lifetime.
That admission immediately created another political headache for Labour.
Although he ruled out rejoining during the current parliamentary term, his comments suggest that a much bigger debate about Britain’s future relationship with Europe could be approaching.
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2. Nigel Farage Accuses Burnham of Betraying Brexit Voters
One of the strongest reactions came from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
Farage accused Burnham of betraying voters who supported Brexit, particularly those in communities that overwhelmingly backed leaving the European Union.
His criticism focused on Burnham’s previous assurances to voters in Makerfield.
Approximately 65% of voters in the constituency supported Brexit in 2016.
For Farage, the issue is therefore not simply whether closer European cooperation would benefit the economy.
It is whether a politician who promised not to reopen Brexit discussions should now be suggesting that Britain could eventually return to the EU.
Farage has warned that Reform UK will challenge what he considers an attempt to reverse the referendum decision.
This presents a significant political opportunity for Reform UK, which continues to compete for support among traditional Conservative and Brexit-supporting voters.
If Labour appears divided over Europe, Farage could use the controversy to strengthen his argument that the established political parties cannot be trusted to respect the public’s wishes.
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3. What About Freedom of Movement?
Perhaps the most sensitive aspect of Burnham’s comments concerns freedom of movement.
Before Brexit, British citizens and EU nationals generally enjoyed the right to live and work across participating EU countries without requiring conventional immigration visas.
For supporters, this arrangement created opportunities for employment, travel and business.
However, opponents argued that freedom of movement made it difficult to manage immigration levels and placed additional pressure on housing, public services and local communities.
Burnham has suggested that the migration experienced during Britain’s EU membership was different from the patterns seen in recent years.
He described previous migration as involving younger people who often came to Britain for a period before returning home.
He also argued that leaving the EU had weakened Britain’s ability to cooperate with European authorities on returning people who had no legal right to remain.
His comments have attracted criticism because freedom of movement was one of the central issues behind the Brexit referendum.
Reform UK argues that restoring such arrangements would undermine the promise of greater border control.
Burnham, however, insists that Britain needs an evidence-based discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of different relationships with Europe.
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4. Labour Faces an Uncomfortable Internal Divided Opinion
The controversy has also created difficulties inside Labour.
Not every Labour politician will welcome the prospect of reopening the Brexit debate.
Some MPs represent constituencies where support for leaving the European Union was particularly strong.
These politicians know that their constituents may react angrily if they believe the government is moving towards restoring EU membership or freedom of movement.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has also emphasised that an honest discussion about Europe should not be confused with an established government policy.
Downing Street has attempted to clarify that the Prime Minister is not currently proposing a return to freedom of movement or EU membership.
This distinction is politically important.
Labour’s 2024 manifesto committed to remaining outside the single market, customs union and freedom-of-movement arrangements.
Burnham has said that the government will respect those commitments during the current Parliament.
However, the possibility of more substantial changes after the next general election remains open.
The challenge for Labour is maintaining unity while allowing the country to discuss an issue that continues to divide British society.
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5. Did Brexit Really Damage Britain’s Economy?
Another major part of the argument concerns the economic consequences of leaving the EU.
Supporters of closer European integration argue that Brexit created additional barriers for British exporters and made trading with European businesses more complicated.
Food manufacturers, agricultural businesses and smaller exporters have faced additional paperwork and regulatory requirements.
The Prime Minister believes that a better agreement could help businesses reduce unnecessary costs and improve access to European markets.
However, Brexit supporters argue that leaving the EU also gave Britain greater freedom to establish independent trade policies and regulations.
They believe the government should concentrate on using those freedoms rather than negotiating arrangements that could gradually recreate EU membership obligations.
The economic debate is therefore more complicated than simply deciding whether Brexit was successful or unsuccessful.
Britain must consider the costs of existing trade barriers, the benefits of independent policies and the potential consequences of closer regulatory alignment.
The November UK-EU summit is expected to be an important opportunity to discuss practical improvements.
6. Kemi Badenoch Seizes the Opportunity to Challenge Labour
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has also entered the argument.
She has questioned Burnham’s criticism of the Brexit arrangements and challenged his suggestion that closer relations with Europe would necessarily improve Britain’s position.
The Conservatives are attempting to remind voters that Brexit gave Britain greater control over certain areas of taxation, regulation and trade policy.
Badenoch has argued that the government should focus on using the opportunities created by leaving the EU rather than constantly questioning the decision itself.
For Labour, this creates another political problem.
If Burnham appears too supportive of European integration, Conservatives and Reform UK could accuse him of abandoning Brexit voters.
If he refuses to discuss closer cooperation, he could face criticism from businesses and voters who believe the existing arrangements are unnecessarily restrictive.
The Prime Minister is therefore attempting to maintain a difficult balance between economic pragmatism and political promises.
7. What Happens at the November EU Summit?
The next major development will be the UK-EU summit scheduled for 20 November 2026.
Burnham hopes the meeting will produce practical improvements in Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Areas under discussion include food trade, energy cooperation and other arrangements that could improve economic opportunities.
The government is also expected to begin outlining different options for Britain’s longer-term relationship with the EU.
However, any fundamental change involving membership of the single market, customs union or freedom of movement would represent a much bigger political decision.
Burnham has acknowledged that such changes would ultimately require public support and could not simply be imposed by his government.
That means the November summit is unlikely to settle the entire Brexit debate.
Instead, it could mark the beginning of another lengthy national discussion about Britain’s future.
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Conclusion: Has Brexit Become Labour’s Biggest Political Risk?
Andy Burnham’s GMB appearance has reignited one of the most divisive arguments in modern British politics.
His criticism of the current Brexit arrangements and his personal desire to see Britain return to the EU have created fresh opportunities for Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch and other political opponents.
For Brexit supporters, the concern is that Labour could gradually move Britain towards arrangements that voters previously rejected.
For supporters of closer European cooperation, the argument is that Britain must recognise the economic realities of Brexit and find a more practical relationship with its largest neighbouring trading bloc.
Burnham has insisted that he will not push ahead of public opinion and has ruled out rejoining the EU during this Parliament.
Nevertheless, his comments have opened a political debate that will be difficult to close.
The November summit could become an important turning point, particularly if the government announces proposals that bring Britain closer to European institutions.
Ultimately, the Prime Minister faces a simple but enormous challenge: convincing voters that improving relations with Europe is about Britain’s economic future rather than reversing their democratic decision.
Brexit may have happened in 2020, but the political battle over what it means for Britain’s future is clearly far from over.