The Guardian
· collected 2026-09-30 · by Aletha Adu Political correspondent
analysis
Andy Burnham, the UK prime minister, has indicated a potential shift in Labour's stance towards rejoining the European Union, suggesting options ranging from maintaining current arrangements to full EU membership. During interviews after his conference speech, Burnham stated that the government will examine various possibilities including a customs union or single market membership. This marks a departure from Labour’s previous position which explicitly ruled out returning to either the single market or customs union. The prime minister plans to present different options for the UK's future relationship with the EU around the time of the November summit, aiming to assess what is feasible and beneficial after Brexit.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-30,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Andy Burnham, the new Labour Party leader and Prime Minister of Britain, has indicated that rejoining the European Union (EU) could be an option for the UK. During his first Labour conference speech as PM on Tuesday, Burnham stated that Brexit had caused "more harm than good" and promised to outline options around a November summit with the EU.
Burnham told both the BBC and ITV News that while he would not jump immediately towards any single decision like holding a referendum or fighting the next election on a promise to rejoin, public opinion could influence his party's stance. He emphasized considering "what is doable" and evaluating the pros and cons of each potential option.
However, some within Labour disagree with Burnham’s approach; Michael Marra, leader of Scottish Labour, warned that rejoining the EU is “unrealistic.” Despite this internal division, European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron have welcomed the possibility, suggesting it could be "excellent news."
Written for “UK Rejoining EU Debate” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 17 other(s) covering the same event.
Andy Burnham has opened the door to the UK rejoining the EU, saying Britain could “go all the way”, as he prepares to reconsider Labour’s post-Brexit red lines.
uncertain
he → open → lines
The prime minister used a series of interviews after his emotional Labour conference speech to spell out how wide-ranging his consideration of Britain’s future with Brussels could be because Brexit had caused “more harm than good”.
uncertain
Brexit → use → good
Burnham said the government could keep the current arrangements, seek a customs union, return to the single market or “go all the way” in what would be full EU membership.
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what → say → market
Speaking to the BBC, he said ministers would examine “what is doable” and the “pros and cons” of each option.
asserted
what → speak → option
Asked whether he wanted the UK to rejoin the bloc, the prime minister told Radio 4’s Today programme he wanted to “look at the options”.
asserted
he → ask → options
He added: “We could stay as we are.
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we → add → ?
That’s definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay.
asserted
this → ’ → ?
We could look at what George Osborne has said about a customs union, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about the single market or we could go all the way.
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we → look → way
It is a significant shift from the position Labour fought the 2024 election on.
asserted
Labour → fight → election
Its manifesto explicitly ruled out returning to the EU single market or customs union, as well as restoring freedom of movement.
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manifesto → rule → movement
A customs union would bring Britain much closer to the EU on trade in goods.
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union → bring → goods
The UK and EU would apply the same tariffs to imports from elsewhere, removing trade barriers businesses have faced after Brexit.
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businesses → apply → Brexit
But it would not on its own put Britain back inside the wider single market or remove every border check.
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it → put → check
If Britain were to rejoin the single market, it would be a significant step with the country having to accept closer alignment with EU rules.
“There are clearly options that need to be considered, and we have to look at what is doable and what would be the pros and cons of each,” Burnham told the BBC.
asserted
Burnham → rejoin → BBC
Although Burnham hasn’t set out any timetables or specifics, to “go all the way” would mean considering EU membership.
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go → set → membership
He went further in his interviews on Wednesday than his conference speech in which he told delegates Britain could not keep avoiding a decision about its long-term relationship with its largest trading partner.
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Britain → go → partner
The prime minister has vowed to set out different choices facing the country around the time of the UK-EU summit in November.
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minister → vow → November
The country hasn’t been working for people as it should,” he told BBC Breakfast.
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he → work → Breakfast
The summit was originally supposed to take place in July under Keir Starmer but was postponed after his resignation.
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summit → suppose → resignation
While Britain will take part in the Erasmus plus scheme again in 2027, the EU has authorised talks at the summit on closer electricity-market links, with negotiations on food trade and youth mobility still under way.
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negotiations → take → way
Burnham argued in his conference speech that leaving the EU had weakened Britain’s cooperation with EU countries on migration and said the summit would assess how the two parties could work more closely.
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parties → argue → migration
“We will not give Britain the clear path we need into the rest of the century until we decide on a long-term relationship with what is still our largest market,” Burnham said in his speech on Tuesday in Liverpool.
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Burnham → give → Liverpool
“I cannot say to you that where we are is good enough.
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are → say → you
Brexit has done more harm than good.
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Brexit → do → harm
So I will take the opportunity around the [UK-EU] summit to lay out to you, to lay out to the country, what I believe are the different options for Britain’s long-term relationship with our European partners.
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I → take → partners
The prime minister was more cautious when pressed on help households could receive in the budget given the looming winter and rising energy and fuel costs.
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households → press → winter
Burnham said he was considering “everything that might help people” including whether to scrap panned fuel duty increases.
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that → say → increases
“The question I’ve got is, ‘how many can I afford?’” he told BBC Breakfast.
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he → get → Breakfast
The chancellor, John Healey, has said “fiscal discipline” will be at the heart of his budget despite facing calls to offer people more help with the cost of living.
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discipline → say → living
The Aporia
