Andy Burnham handed blueprint to reverse Brexit with UK joining ‘European Confederation’

The UK could join a new “European Confederation” under plans to unravel Brexit presented to Andy Burnham. It would mean rejoining the EU’s single market, while Britain would pledge to send armed forces – and use its nuclear deterrent – to defend Europe if needed.

Proposals to unravel Brexit have been presented to government officials as Mr Burnham prepares for an October summit with EU leaders, where the Prime Minister is expected to agree a new deal on energy, food exports and relaxing border controls for young people. The Confederation plan was drawn up by former Conservative MP Nick Boles, now a Labour adviser who helped with Sir Keir Starmer’s preparations for government.

Jonathan Powell, the national security adviser, was one of the officials presented with the proposals.

According to the Telegraph, the UK, Ukraine, Switzerland, Norway and the Western Balkan could join the confederation.

It would give the UK access to the EU’s Single Market for goods without having to accept freedom of movement or to scrap the pound and replace it with the euro.

Mr Boles told The Telegraph: “If we’re trying to do a bilateral negotiation in which we try to persuade the EU to have us have access to the single market for goods, we will fail.

“But if we make a proposal that solves other problems they have, like Ukraine… that’s the possibility where the selling might be easier. We can explain this isn’t just a selfish British deal, it’s a deal you can use to solve other problems yourselves.”

A government source said Ministers were working on proposals to deepen UK-EU cooperation.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has reportedly attempted to take control of post-Brexit negotiations, and accepted an invitation to attend an informal meeting of foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.

But he has lost a Whitehall turf war, with the Cabinet Office, which oversaw preparations for Keir Starmer’s EU “reset” deal, maintaining control.