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The Guardian
· collected 2026-10-08 · by Ben Quinn Political correspondent
Story summary
Roland Lescure, France's finance minister, invited the UK to "come all the way back" to the European Union (EU) after Andy Burnham, the British Prime Minister, suggested in a Labour conference speech that a second Brexit referendum was possible. Burnham’s remarks came amid growing concerns over EU plans such as the Made In Europe scheme, which could harm UK industry and supply chains by prioritizing European manufacturers for public contracts and subsidies. Lescure emphasized that while joining the bloc comes with challenges, it enables members to better address global issues collectively. He assured Britain that if they decide to rejoin, "they will have to decide," but added optimistically: "come back, anytime."
Written for “UK Rejoining EU Debate” on 2026-10-08,
grounded in this article and the 2 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 65117: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-08
The French finance minister has invited the UK to “come all the way back” to the European Union after Andy Burnham raised the prospect of a new referendum to reverse Brexit.
asserted
Burnham → invite → Brexit
Roland Lescure was speaking after the prime minister used his Labour conference speech to pledge that the government would explore closer ties with the bloc at a summit later this year.
asserted
government → speak → summit
He used subsequent interviews 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 → harm
Asked about Burnham’s comments, Lescure told the BBC: “British people decided, and that’s obviously their 100% right, and if they’re willing to come back, they will have to decide.
asserted
they → ask → BBC
But what I can tell them is: come back, anytime.”
asserted
tell → tell → them
Lescure said he wanted Britain back in the union to face emerging global threats together.
asserted
Britain → say → threats
Burnham said last week that the government’s options included keeping the current arrangements in relation to the UK’s relationship with the EU, seeking a customs union, returning to the single market, or going “all the way” with full membership.
asserted
options → say → membership
He said ministers would examine “what is doable” and the “pros and cons” of each option.
asserted
what → say → option
The prime minister is travelling to Germany for talks with the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, whose government has been supportive of Burnham’s suggestion that the UK could explore closer links with the EU.
uncertain
UK → travel → EU
Burnham and Merz are expected to agree on a deal for closer security cooperation against cyber-attacks on European countries but the two will also discuss UK-EU relations.
asserted
two → expect → relations
Lescure also responded to comments by Burnham that EU rules to help European manufacturers would damage the UK.
asserted
rules → respond → UK
British government sources warned days earlier that the “EU reset” summit would be delayed again unless the bloc agreed to discuss legislation that could lock British business out of parts of EU industry.
uncertain
that → warn → industry
“Come back, and you’ll be at the table, and we discuss all these things together,” Lescure said.
asserted
Lescure → come → things
Nigel Farage has claimed Burnham has given him “the biggest boost in my career” by reviving the Brexit debate, which the Reform UK leader said had reopened a “huge flank” to his party.
asserted
leader → claim → party
Dismissing polls showing that as much as 59% of the public favoured rejoining the EU, Farage said: “Of course they do, until you tell them it’ll cost 25bn quid a year, until you tell him it’ll mean joining Schengen [the area of Europe that has open borders], until he tells them it will mean actually having to recommit to joining the euro.”
asserted
it → dismiss → euro
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