EXCLUSIVE: Leavers warn the Prime Minister is planning to go even further on Rejoin after he told a national newspaper his EU summit was just the beginning
Nigel Farage warned of a sell-out to Brussels (Image: Getty)
Brexiteers have vowed to fight Andy Burnham every step of the way after the Prime Minister signalled his Brussels summit is only the start of a sell-out. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, tore into the PM, warning he was plotting to throw open Britain’s borders and hand over billions to rejoin the bloc.
The furious backlash erupted after Mr Burnham hinted his love-in with Eurocrats later this month would be just the first step. Tories warned Britain’s farmers would be shackled to Brussels rules under Labour’s so-called EU reset, while Reform declared it was ready for war. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express, Mr Farage said: “It’s now clear that Andy Burnham wants to open the borders to 500million people in the EU and pay over £40billion a year just for the privilege of rejoining.
“It’s time Brussels Burnham put the interests of the British people first, but if the Prime Minister wants this fight all over again, I say bring it on.”
Andy Burnham discusses Brexit and closer ties to EU
Tory shadow Cabinet Office minister Mike Wood warned the reset would hand control of Britain’s food laws straight back to Brussels. He told this paper: “Labour’s EU reset will hand control of Britain’s food laws to Brussels, tying every farmer into costly EU rules – even those who never sell to the EU.
“Labour are reopening the Brexit debates of 10 years ago to adopt EU rules wholesale. That means more compliance costs for businesses already hammered by the jobs tax, outdated regulations that hold our farmers back and higher costs of trading with the rest of the world.”
He added: “When Labour negotiates, Britain loses. Only the Conservatives will stand up for British farmers – starting by reversing Labour’s family farm tax.”
The row exploded after Mr Burnham used an article in the Sunday Mirror to hail this month’s summit, saying it would “show what we can achieve when we work together”. But he sparked alarm by adding ominously: “But it doesn’t need to be the end of our ambition.”
The PM jets to Brussels later this month for crunch talks with Eurocrats, including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. He has refused to rule out free movement or rejoining the single market in the long term, insisting only that he would not return to free movement without a referendum and would not rejoin the bloc in this Parliament.
Labour insists none of its so-called “red lines” will be crossed. But fears are growing that the Remainer Prime Minister is quietly paving the way for a full-blown betrayal of the 17.4million who voted Leave.
Mr Burnham campaigned to stay in the EU and has repeatedly said he wants Britain back in the bloc “in my lifetime”. For this newspaper, the fight is nothing new. Back in 2010, the Daily Express became the first national newspaper to demand Britain quit the EU.
We declared that “from this day forth our energies will be directed to furthering the cause of those who believe Britain is Better Off Out”.
The crusade was laughed off by the Westminster establishment. But hundreds of thousands of readers flooded in to back it, and five years later David Cameron finally caved and granted the in-out referendum that changed history.
In 2016, this paper threw everything behind the Leave campaign, and 17.4million Britons voted to take back control.
Today, the Express is campaigning to Give Us A Proper Brexit, demanding Britain quit the European Convention on Human Rights, slash Brussels red tape and enforce a 12-mile fishing zone for British vessels only.
And Mr Farage himself has credited the Express’s role in the battle, telling this paper last week: “The Express led this in many, many ways.” Brexiteers warn that if Mr Burnham tries to undo the will of the people, he will find the same coalition that won in 2016 ready and waiting.