In an interview with The Economist, he also appeared to hit back at Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has warned against reopening debates about Brexit as the Government explores options for the UK’s long-term relationship with the bloc.
asserted
Government → appear → bloc
“I think it’s interesting because I sense, since conference, that there is an appetite to discuss it,” he said.
asserted
he → think → it
“And those who are making the argument over ‘oh my goodness, don’t open up this psychodrama’ are misreading the public mood in my view.”
asserted
who → make → view
The Prime Minister wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme at a Brussels summit on November 20.
asserted
Minister → want → November
He said the Treasury had updated its calculations of the potential growth on the table if agreements are secured.
asserted
agreements → say → table
“A deal could add up to 0.4% to GDP,” he said.
uncertain
he → add → GDP
“Now, that is a number that you cannot ignore.”
asserted
you → ignore → that
In a sign that a food and agriculture deal is almost finalised, a draft text has been circulated among the 27 EU members, the BBC reported, along with similar documents on the emissions trading and youth mobility plans.
asserted
BBC → finalise → plans
Mr Burnham has told ministers that the period beyond the summit would be to “explore options” for the long-term relationship that will eventually be put to the public.
asserted
that → tell → public
His remarks in recent weeks have fuelled questions about the prospect of the UK returning to the EU or adopting its freedom of movement rules, but in a separate interview airing on Tuesday he insisted voters would ultimately be “the boss” of any changes.
asserted
voters → fuel → changes
“I have not proposed freedom of movement coming back,” he told ITV News.
asserted
he → propose → News
“I do believe that we should have an honest discussion with people about how immigration has changed since the Brexit vote because the shorter term migration of people coming from Europe and then going back has been replaced with long term settlement in bigger numbers, and that was the Boriswave.”
asserted
that → believe → numbers
Mr Burnham, who fought a by-election in Leave-voting Makerfield that served as a stepping stone into No 10 with a promise not to “re-run” Brexit arguments, said he had noticed during the campaign that public opinion had changed in the constituency over the decade since the 2016 Brexit vote.
asserted
opinion → fight → vote
He continued: “I think public opinion has changed nationally.
asserted
opinion → continue → ?
“But I want to be really clear on this issue.
asserted
I → want → issue
I will not run ahead of public opinion.
asserted
I → run → opinion
The public need to be the boss when it comes to whatever happens with Brexit.”
asserted
whatever → need → Brexit
Mr Burnham was pressed again on the issue after an interview last weekend, in which he called for an “honest discussion” about a return to freedom of movement prompted questions about how close the UK could become to Brussels.
uncertain
UK → press → Brussels
Confusion deepened after further interviews, in which he first said there would be no shift within this Parliament and signalled that he could fight the next general election on a promise to take the UK back into the bloc.
uncertain
he → deepen → bloc
In a second interview, he said “no” when asked whether he would allow the UK to reinstate EU freedom of movement without a referendum, forcing Downing Street to later clarify that he was “not leaning either way” on how to move forward.
asserted
he → say → Street
Mr Burnham told MPs in the Commons last week there was “no confusion at all” about his position when asked if he wanted a referendum on rejoining the bloc.
asserted
he → tell → bloc
He committed to sticking to red lines set out in Labour’s manifesto – which rule out returning to the customs union, single market or free movement – for the duration of this Parliament.
asserted
which → commit → Parliament
Mr Burnham also told his Cabinet to avoid publicly backing specific options for the UK’s future relationship with the EU in a letter seeking to clarify his stance.
asserted
Burnham → tell → stance
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats repeated calls for a return to the EU single market and customs union.
asserted
Democrats → repeat → union
Responding to the reports that a draft deal on food and farming checks has been agreed, the party’s Europe spokesman Al Pinkerton said: “Scrapping the Brexit red tape strangling British food exporters is long overdue.
asserted
Scrapping → respond → exporters
For years, unnecessary trade barriers have held back British farmers and businesses while families have faced higher food prices and less variety on supermarket shelves.
asserted
families → hold → shelves
“This deal is a step in the right direction, but it’s a patch, not a fix.
asserted
it → ’ → direction
“The real solution is to rejoin the single market and to establish a customs union with the EU.
asserted
solution → rejoin → EU
The Liberal Democrats have consistently made the case for both, because removing barriers to trade means stronger businesses, lower prices and a growing economy.
asserted
removing → make → businesses
“Ministers must now drop their self-imposed red lines and recognise that Britain’s economic future depends on rebuilding our relationship with our closest neighbours.”
asserted
future → drop → neighbours
The Aporia
