Prime Minister urges all parties to back push for tighter EU ties
In a Commons speech, the Prime Minister will repeat his claim that Brexit has caused more harm than good and will ask every party to support a closer relationship with the EU.
During a forthcoming Commons address, the Prime Minister intends to reaffirm his Labour conference argument that Brexit has inflicted more damage than benefit. He will solicit cross-party endorsement for the government's pursuit of a closer EU relationship, arguing it could help manage immigration and spur growth. The push builds on Mr Burnham’s recent pledge to outline Britain’s long-term options with Europe, including the possibility of rejoining the bloc, ahead of a scheduled UK-EU summit later this year.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey called for Labour to abandon its firm stance against re-entering the customs union or single market, emphasizing the economic cost of delaying talks. In contrast, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage labelled the Prime Minister a liar and dismissed claims of Russian interference in the 2016 referendum, which the Prime Minister recently reiterated in a podcast interview.
Why it matters
The call could reshape Britain’s post-Brexit trade and immigration policies, affecting the economy and its relationship with Europe.
How this story developed
- Sep 29 Andy Burnham signals possible UK return to the EU after condemning Brexit
- Sep 29 Labour leader Andy Burnham delivered his first conference speech, unveiling policy proposals on public ownership, pensions, and electoral reform.
- Sep 30 The Prime Minister now says re‑joining the EU is among the options the government will consider.
- Sep 30 Burnham signaled that full EU membership is among the possible routes Labour could evaluate.
- Oct 3 A new poll shows half of British adults now support rejoining the EU.
- Oct 4 Kemi Badenoch opened the Conservative conference by framing the Tories as a common-sense party, unveiling pledges on tighter welfare, prison expansion and free childcare for high-earning families.
- Oct 5 Badenoch pushed to drop the £100,000 childcare tax cap at the conference.
- Oct 6 Announced a cut to employer National Insurance for 21‑ to 24‑year‑olds from 15% to 7.5%.
- Oct 7 Badenoch announced a defence spending target of 3% of GDP.
- Oct 8 Badenoch denounced Reform UK as ethnically exclusive at the conference.
- Oct 8 Burnham announced that the pension triple‑lock will be scrapped after the next general election and its savings will fund a National Care Service.
- Oct 11 Andy Burnham told a podcast that he was confirmed Russia meddled in the 2016 Brexit vote and used the comment to signal a possible push for the UK to rejoin the EU.
- Oct 11 Burnham has moved from acknowledging past interference to proposing an EU re‑entry option in the Labour platform.
- Oct 12 Burnham publicly acknowledged Russian involvement in the 2016 Brexit referendum.
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