Andy Burnham is trying to drag Britain back into the EU’s orbit (Image: Getty)

Rejoining the EU would cost the UK almost £40billion a year in contributions, according to bombshell new analysis. The staggering cost to the taxpayer amounts to £750million a week and is a major blow to Andy Burnham’s attempts to drag Britain back into the bloc.

The figure applies the European Commission’s own 2028 revenue forecasts for its next budget, and proposed funding rules to UK data. It is nearly double the £19.1billion gross contribution Britain made in 2016, which equated to more than £350million a week. The data was published by the newly formed Stay Out campaign, which says the bill is higher for three key reasons.

Firstly, the EU’s budget is set to almost double to almost £2trillion, with the European Commission forecasting it will need 1.26% of members’ gross national income in 2028, against about 0.9% in 2019. The cost of servicing the EU’s pandemic borrowing is also set to double, rising from £9.5billion in 2027 to £22billion in 2028.

Also, the Margaret Thatcher-negotiated rebate Britain held from 1985 would not return if we were to rejoin. The Commission has also proposed six new charges on member states, covering emissions trading, carbon-intensive imports, electrical waste, tobacco and large companies.

If these are not agreed and the current rules remain, the UK’s bill would rise to about £803million a week, because more of the budget would be raised in proportion to national income.

The analysis comes ahead of a crunch EU-UK summit in the Belgian capital next Friday, where Mr Burnham is poised to sign up to closer ties with the bloc. The Labour leader has previously suggested that rejoining could be among the options for Britain’s future relationship with Europe.

He has previously said that he’d like Britain to be back inside the EU within his lifetime. Oliver Lewis, chairman of Stay Out and former deputy chief negotiator for the UK during the Brexit negotiations, said: “The EU that Britain would be rejoining is more indebted, divided and expensive than the one we left, and on the Commission’s own numbers it would cost us £750million a week, with no rebate.

“The bloc is also getting bigger, with Albania, Moldova and the western Balkans all in the queue to join, and Brussels wants Britain back in as one of the few countries rich enough to pay for it.

“The country has had enough of arguing about Europe, and it is time to move on and spend our money on our own priorities.”

The cost of rejoining the EU (Image: Stay Out)

 

Lord Gove, former co-convener and chairman of Vote Leave, said: “Rejoining would mean handing back control of our laws, borders, money and trade, and paying a good deal more for membership than we did before.

“Families worried about their mortgages, energy bills and the weekly shop want a government that spends its time and their money on easing the cost of living. Sending £750million a week to Brussels would do nothing to help with any of this.

“Reopening this question would just commit the country to another decade of fractious negotiations and a return to the divisions we have spent years putting behind us, at the very moment people are desperate for Westminster to get on with delivering on their priorities.”

It comes after a major intervention by former prime minister David Cameron, who warned that rejoining the EU would be a bad idea. Lord Cameron also told Bloomberg that the UK should leave the European Convention on Human Rights.

“One of the reasons we’ve got such a problem with populism in our world is politicians of the centre-Right and centre-Left have not done enough to tackle illegal migration,” he said.

He added: “We have to do whatever it takes to stop the small boats and to stop the illegal migration” that’s “stopping us having a sensible conversation about lots of things”.

Mr Burnham will head to Brussels next week to sign a new “reset” deal with the EU, which was originally negotiated by Keir Starmer. It will slash post-Brexit checks imposed by Brussels, which have made it difficult for British food producers to export to the bloc.

In return, the Prime Minister will agree to permanently align with all EU regulations on food and farming. The process, known as dynamic alignment, means the UK will have to adopt new EU regulations in the area as soon as they are passed by Brussels.

Mr Burnham is then expected to set out a range of options for Britain’s future relations with the EU, including rejoining the single market or going back into the Brussels club. Meanwhile, a major study has found that Britain will be forced to adopt a new EU regulation every 12 hours under the reset plans.

The report by the House of Lords European Affairs Committee found that the deal is likely to require the UK to adopt “at least 780 pieces of EU law” each year.

£750m a Week to the EU! Shock Cost of Andy Burnham’s Brexit Betrayal Revealed

A major political storm has erupted in Britain after a new campaign warned that returning to the European Union could cost the UK an astonishing £750 million every week.

The eye-watering figure, equivalent to approximately £39.3 billion a year, has intensified criticism of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s increasingly positive comments about Britain’s future relationship with Brussels.

Brexit supporters are warning that the country could face an enormous financial commitment if it eventually returns to EU membership, raising serious questions about taxation, national sovereignty and the future of British democracy.

The campaign, known as Stay Out, has placed the potential financial consequences at the centre of its argument, warning that British taxpayers could once again become major contributors to the European budget.

But is the £750 million figure accurate, and what would it mean for ordinary British families?

The £750 Million-a-Week Bombshell

The controversial estimate comes from a new analysis published by the Stay Out campaign, which was launched by figures associated with the original Vote Leave campaign.

According to its calculations, Britain’s gross contribution to the EU could reach approximately £39.3 billion annually if the country rejoined under the financial assumptions used in its analysis.

That works out at around £750 million every week.

The campaign argues that the potential contribution would be substantially higher than Britain’s previous payments because of changes to the EU’s budget, increased borrowing costs and the possibility that Britain would not receive its former financial rebate.

However, this figure is a projected gross contribution, not an agreed bill or a confirmed future payment.

The calculation has not been independently verified in full, and it does not deduct money that might subsequently return to Britain through EU programmes.

Nevertheless, the scale of the estimate has reignited the Brexit debate.

Why Could Rejoining Cost So Much?

The Stay Out campaign identifies three major reasons behind its calculation.

1. A much larger European budget

The European Commission has proposed a substantial long-term budget for 2028–2034.

The campaign uses projected contributions based on a figure of approximately 1.26% of member states’ gross national income.

It argues that Britain would be expected to contribute considerably more than it did before Brexit.

2. The cost of European borrowing

The EU is also facing significant costs associated with servicing borrowing undertaken during the coronavirus pandemic.

The campaign argues that these financial commitments could increase the amount Britain would be expected to contribute if it returned to membership.

3. The loss of Britain’s rebate

One of the most important questions concerns the financial rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher in 1984 and implemented in subsequent years.

This arrangement reduced Britain’s contributions to the European budget.

The Stay Out campaign argues that Britain would not automatically recover the same rebate if it rejoined.

Former EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has also suggested that a new British rebate would be off the table.

These assumptions form the foundation of the campaign’s £750 million weekly estimate.

Andy Burnham Faces Accusations of Breaking His Brexit Promise

The financial controversy has placed Andy Burnham under increasing political pressure.

During his campaign for the Makerfield constituency in May 2026, Burnham said he was not proposing that Britain consider rejoining the European Union and that he respected the result of the 2016 referendum.

However, his position subsequently attracted attention after he expressed support for Britain potentially returning to the EU during his lifetime.

In a BBC interview, he said he would like to see Britain rejoin and suggested that the country could eventually consider going all the way.

His comments have been interpreted by Brexit supporters as a significant change in political direction.

Critics argue that voters deserve a clear explanation of what closer European integration would mean for Britain’s finances, borders and ability to make independent decisions.

Burnham has, however, made clear that he is not proposing rejoining during the current parliamentary term.

There has been no official decision to reverse Brexit.

Michael Gove Joins the Opposition

Former Conservative Cabinet minister Michael Gove has backed the Stay Out campaign.

Gove warned that returning to the European Union could mean accepting significant financial obligations and renewed political commitments.

He argued that families struggling with mortgages, energy bills and food costs would want the government to concentrate on domestic priorities rather than committing billions of pounds to Brussels.

His intervention is particularly significant because of his prominent role in the original Brexit campaign.

The campaign’s message is that Britain should concentrate its financial resources on improving living standards, supporting public services and strengthening the domestic economy.

What Would £39.3 Billion Mean for British Taxpayers?

The figure of £39.3 billion annually is enormous.

It represents a potential financial commitment that would inevitably attract scrutiny from taxpayers and politicians.

However, it is important to understand the difference between gross contributions and net contributions.

When Britain was an EU member, it received money back through agricultural support, regional development, research programmes and other initiatives.

The House of Commons Library explains that the UK’s net contribution was considerably lower than its gross contribution once receipts were included.

Therefore, presenting £750 million every week as money that would simply disappear from Britain would be misleading.

The wider economic consequences of EU membership would also need to be considered, including trade, investment and access to European markets.

A proper assessment would need to examine both the costs and potential benefits.

Would Britain Lose Control of Its Borders Again?

Immigration is another major issue in the Brexit debate.

Rejoining the EU under ordinary membership arrangements would generally involve accepting the principle of free movement, subject to the negotiated terms of membership.

This could mean renewed rights for EU citizens to live and work in Britain.

The Stay Out campaign has warned that future EU enlargement could make the immigration implications even more significant.

Countries including Albania and Moldova are among those involved in the EU enlargement process.

However, the precise terms of any hypothetical British return would depend on negotiations that have not taken place.

For Brexit supporters, immigration control remains one of the most important reasons to oppose rejoining.

Labour Faces a Difficult Political Battle

The controversy could create serious difficulties for Labour.

Many traditional Labour constituencies voted strongly to leave the European Union in 2016.

These voters may be uncomfortable with suggestions that Britain should eventually return to the European project.

Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, is likely to use the debate to reinforce its message about sovereignty, immigration and political accountability.

The Conservatives may also attempt to attract former Brexit supporters by challenging Labour’s European ambitions.

Burnham must therefore explain how he intends to improve Britain’s relationship with Europe without undermining the democratic decision made by voters.

What Happens Next?

The debate is expected to intensify as the government considers closer cooperation with Brussels.

Potential areas of discussion include trade arrangements, agricultural standards, energy cooperation, security and youth exchanges.

These agreements do not automatically mean Britain is returning to the EU.

Nevertheless, any proposals involving closer regulatory alignment or additional financial commitments are likely to attract political scrutiny.

The public will want clear information about the costs, benefits and consequences before any major changes are introduced.

Conclusion: Britain’s Brexit Debate Is Far From Over

The £750 million-a-week warning has delivered a powerful political message from Brexit supporters.

The Stay Out campaign believes that returning to EU membership could expose Britain to substantial financial obligations, potentially reaching £39.3 billion annually under its assumptions.

However, the figure remains a campaign projection based on gross contributions rather than a confirmed future bill. It does not account fully for possible EU spending returning to Britain or the wider economic effects of membership.

Andy Burnham now faces difficult questions about his long-term European ambitions and the promises he made to voters.

For millions of Brexit supporters, the issue goes beyond money. It concerns national sovereignty, immigration, democratic accountability and Britain’s ability to determine its own future.

The biggest question facing Britain is whether closer relations with Europe would deliver enough economic benefit to justify the financial and political commitments involved.

One thing is certain: the argument over Brexit is returning to the centre of British politics, and taxpayers will expect honest answers before any decision is made about the country’s future relationship with Brussels.