Andy Burnham Outlines Options on EU Ties and Unveils Policy Program

European relations and the upcoming summit

Speaking at the Labour Party Annual Conference in Liverpool, Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that Brexit has caused more harm than good to the United Kingdom. Burnham argued that a decade of low economic growth and reduced collaboration with European partners weakened British control over migration and economic policy. In an interview on BBC Radio 4, Burnham outlined four paths for relations with the bloc, refusing to rule out a return to full membership. He cited options ranging from the status quo to a customs union, single market participation, or complete reintegration.

We could stay as we are. That is definitely an option. If people think this is the right stance to stay in, we could examine what George Osborne has said about a customs union. We could examine what the Liberal Democrats said about the single market at their convention or we could go all the way. So clearly there are options that must be considered, and we have to analyze what is viable and what the pros and cons of each would be.

Burnham plans to present these alternatives before a bilateral summit with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen scheduled for November 2026. The meeting was originally planned for July 2026 but was delayed following the resignation of former prime minister Keir Starmer. British officials plan to address the European Union's "Made in Europe" industrial initiative during the summit, seeking equal market access for British businesses. A previous bilateral summit took place in London in May 2025 under Starmer's administration.

Social care and the pension triple lock

Burnham also announced the planned creation of a National Care Service designed to provide free personal care for pensioners on minimum state pensions. The system will be modeled on the National Health Service and financed through modifications to the state pension triple lock. Under current rules, state pensions rise annually by whichever is highest among inflation, average wage growth, or 2.5%. Burnham stated that adjustments to this mechanism will take effect in April 2030, while state pensions of around 1,200 euros per month will continue to grow annually.

Housing, utilities, and electoral reform

The conference speech included domestic policies addressing housing availability, household utility costs, and constitutional mechanics. Local councils will receive statutory authority to take control of an estimated 300,000 empty homes and transfer them into public housing. The government also plans to build public housing on unused land and introduce warnings and penalties for landlords renting substandard housing. Starting in October 2026, the government will abolish value-added tax on domestic electricity bills, delivering on a policy announced in July.

Burnham announced the establishment of a national commission to study electoral system reform ahead of the general election scheduled for 2029. He invited all political parties to participate in the commission to establish cross-party agreement on voting changes. In his address, Burnham attacked previous Conservative policies of privatisation and austerity, linking them to long-term economic vulnerability.

De-industrialisation, deregulation, privatisation, austerity, Brexit: what has it brought us? A country run for private interests, not the public interest, with power concentrated in few hands and many sectors left to their fate.

Burnham succeeded Starmer after Labour suffered losses in local elections in May, entering Downing Street two and a half months ago as the seventh prime minister since 2016. In his speech, he noted that the British right surrendered control over decades through the sale of essential public assets. A forthcoming water bill will reverse legislation introduced under Margaret Thatcher that barred public ownership of water utilities.