Andy Burnham’s (Image: Getty)
And right now, there’s not much of a discussion either. Just hints, leaks and suggestions, and a surprisingly quiet response from Brexiteers. The result? We’re being slowly nudged back towards Brussels, like it or not. Burnham keeps testing the waters. He’s floated everything from restoring freedom of movement to going “all the way” and rejoining the European Union. He’s gaslighting us, playing party politics to unite the anti-Brexit left and trying to reverse the referendum by stealth. And the arguments are getting more ridiculous by the day.
Labour won the general election promising not to bring back free movement during this Parliament. Burnham’s own election victory came in Leave-voting Makerfield, where he promised voters he wouldn’t reopen the Brexit debate. His exact words were: “The last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments.” Yet he seems to restart the debate almost every single day.
Burnham also blames almost every ill afflicting Britain on the 2016 vote, even many of our EU neighbours are in a far worse state. Last week, Labour MP Stella Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, once again claimed that leaving the EU has cost the UK between 6% and 8% of GDP. It’s a familiar Remainer claim, based on research by the pro-EU Centre for Economic Policy Research. But it relies on questionable assumptions and reaches an extraordinary conclusion.
Since Brexit, the UK economy has grown 13.2%. That’s disappointing but it’s better than France, up 12.8%, Italy, up 10.7%, and Germany, up a mere 7.2%. If Creasy’s figures were correct, the UK might have grown by as much as 21.2%. Does anyone seriously believe we would have grown at three times Germany’s rate if we’d stayed in the EU?
Burnham also refuses to confront the potential cost of rejoining. We’re unlikely to get the £5billion rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher. And may have to rejoin Schengen, accept freedom of movement and eventually adopt the euro. EU negotiators will treat us as supplicants, and laugh in our faces.
But why would we want to rejoin a trading bloc whose economic and political power is dwindling, while its bureaucrats accelerate the process by regulating it to death?
Burnham completely ignores the fact that Europe is in turmoil right now. France has been rocked by weeks of protests and rioting, with the unrest spreading to Italy, Germany, Albania and Belgium. German taxpayers fear they’ll be left on the hook for debts run up by the French, whose profligacy risks crashing the euro. Is this the dysfunctional club Burnham wants to beg his way back into? We’d soon be begging to leave again. But Labour’s latest argument for closer EU ties is peak madness.
In a statement marking Remembrance Sunday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said her department wanted to “repair” damage to “the strong links with Europe that veterans’ service helped to secure and endure after the Second World War”.
So apparently the Spitfire pilots defending our skies in the Battle of Britain, the Desert Rats defeating Rommel in North Africa and British troops storming the beaches on D-Day did so because they wanted us to rejoin the EU’s Erasmus+ programme, as Nandy suggested. It’s beyond madness.
Labour is coming up with all sorts of ridiculous arguments to justify reversing Brexit. There’s nothing honest about this process at all. We simply can’t believe a word they say.
ANDY BURNHAM’S LABOUR WILL SAY ANYTHING TO REVERSE BREXIT – BUT THIS LATEST MOVE HAS SPARKED FRESH ANGER ACROSS BRITAIN!
Britain’s future relationship with the European Union has once again become a major political battleground, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham facing growing criticism over his willingness to reopen the Brexit debate.
Almost a decade after the 2016 referendum, the question of whether Britain should move closer to Brussels, or even eventually rejoin the European Union, is back in the headlines.
Burnham has argued that Brexit has not delivered the economic and immigration benefits promised by its supporters. He believes Britain needs to examine its long-term relationship with Europe and consider whether a different arrangement could better serve the country’s interests.
However, his comments have raised concerns among Brexit supporters, who believe the government risks undermining a democratic decision made by millions of voters.
Labour’s Brexit Position Comes Under Pressure
The controversy intensified after Burnham refused to rule out the possibility of reversing Brexit appearing in Labour’s next general election manifesto.
Rather than immediately committing to full EU membership, the Prime Minister has called for a broader discussion about Britain’s future relationship with the bloc.
His position represents a significant development in the Labour Party’s approach to Brexit.
During the 2024 general election campaign, Labour’s manifesto ruled out returning to the single market, customs union and freedom of movement.
Burnham has said those commitments will remain in place during the current Parliament.
Nevertheless, he has made clear that he wants Britain to examine its longer-term options.
This has created uncertainty about what Labour could ultimately propose at the next election.
A Senior Labour Ally Adds Fuel to the Debate
Chris Ward, a Labour MP and former co-author of the party’s Brexit policy, has argued that Labour’s existing Brexit restrictions should be reconsidered.
Ward believes the international situation has changed and that Britain needs a stronger relationship with European allies.
He has suggested that the existing restrictions on closer European integration should be retired before the next general election.
His intervention is particularly significant because he helped develop Labour’s previous Brexit policy.
The argument is that Britain’s economic and security interests may require a more ambitious relationship with Europe than the current arrangements allow.
However, critics argue that changing the policy without a clear public mandate could reopen divisions that have shaped British politics for years.
Nigel Farage and Reform UK Oppose Reversing Brexit
Nigel Farage and Reform UK remain firmly opposed to taking Britain back into the European Union.
Their position is that the 2016 referendum established a democratic mandate for leaving the bloc.
They argue that the government should concentrate on improving Britain’s economy, controlling immigration and developing international trade relationships outside the EU.
Reform also warns that returning to European institutions could involve accepting rules and obligations that British voters previously rejected.
For Brexit supporters, the central issue is sovereignty and the ability of the UK Parliament to make independent decisions.
The disagreement is therefore about much more than trade arrangements.
It concerns the future direction of Britain’s political and economic relationship with Europe.
What Does Andy Burnham Actually Want?
Burnham has defended his position by arguing that Britain needs a more practical relationship with its largest nearby trading partner.
He has identified several areas where closer cooperation could provide benefits.
These include:
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- Reducing barriers to food and agricultural trade.
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- Improving cooperation on energy and emissions.
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- Strengthening security and information sharing.
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- Developing youth mobility arrangements.
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- Exploring Britain’s longer-term relationship with the single market and European Union.
However, Burnham has repeatedly insisted that he will not introduce a return to EU freedom of movement during the current Parliament.
He has also said that the British public must ultimately decide the country’s future direction.
In an interview with ITV on November 3, he stated that he had not proposed bringing back freedom of movement.
Could Britain Rejoin the EU?
Rejoining the European Union would be a major undertaking.
Britain would need to submit an application under Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union.
All existing EU member states would need to agree to the application, followed by negotiations over the conditions of membership.
The process could involve difficult discussions about financial contributions, regulatory obligations, the single market and other aspects of European integration.
It would not be an automatic reversal of Brexit.
Any future government proposing full membership would also face the political challenge of convincing the British public that the benefits outweighed the costs and obligations.
The Economic Argument Behind Labour’s Plans
Supporters of closer EU relations argue that Brexit created additional difficulties for British businesses.
Exporters have faced new customs procedures and administrative requirements when trading with European markets.
Some industries have also experienced difficulties linked to regulatory differences and restrictions on the movement of workers.
Burnham believes a closer relationship could help improve economic performance and strengthen cooperation.
Critics, however, argue that Britain should focus on addressing domestic economic problems rather than moving back towards European political institutions.
They also question whether closer alignment would reduce Britain’s ability to establish independent trade and regulatory policies.
Both sides will need to provide evidence to support their arguments.
What Happens Next?
The UK-EU summit scheduled for November 20, 2026, is expected to provide an important opportunity to discuss practical cooperation.
Areas under consideration include agriculture, emissions trading and youth mobility.
These discussions could help determine the immediate direction of Britain’s relationship with Brussels.
The longer-term question of EU membership remains separate.
Burnham has indicated that he wants a national conversation about Britain’s future relationship with Europe, but he has not committed the government to rejoining the bloc.
The next general election could therefore become an important moment for voters to assess Labour’s proposals.
Britain’s Brexit Debate Is Far From Over
Ten years after the referendum, Britain continues to disagree about whether leaving the European Union was the right decision.
Some voters believe Brexit gave the country greater control over its laws, borders and trade policy.
Others believe the economic and political costs have been too significant and that closer European integration would benefit Britain.
Andy Burnham has reopened a debate that many politicians previously wanted to leave behind.
Whether his approach leads to practical cooperation or a future proposal for EU membership remains uncertain.
What is clear is that Labour will face difficult questions about its promises, its policies and the democratic mandate behind any future changes.
THE BIG QUESTIONS:
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- Should Labour consider reversing Brexit?
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- Should Britain hold another referendum before making major changes?
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- Has Brexit delivered the benefits promised in 2016?
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- Should Britain prioritise closer European trade or independent policies?
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- Would you support Britain rejoining the European Union?
Britain’s relationship with Europe remains one of the country’s most important political questions, and the debate is once again far from settled.