Burnham opens door to UK rejoining EU as polls show majority support
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he would like the UK to rejoin the European Union during his lifetime, and several polls show majority support for the idea. Rejoining would require an application under Article 49 of the EU treaties and ratification by national parliaments.
A shift on Labour's Brexit line
Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the Labour conference in Liverpool that he would look at options on Brexit, and suggested that rejoining the EU could feature in the party's next election manifesto. He took office in mid-July, replacing Keir Starmer, and the UK and EU had earlier agreed to postpone indefinitely a bilateral meeting planned for that month. Starmer's election programme had ruled out rejoining the Single Market, the customs union and freedom of movement, red lines that Burnham now considers it time to leave behind. He is due to present a reform programme for the next decade at the end of November, covering housing, energy, pensions and social care.
- Andy Burnham becomes prime minister, replacing Keir Starmer
- Burnham says he will look at Brexit options and does not rule out rejoining the EU
- Parliament set to debate a petition backing rejoining the EU
- Burnham plans to present a reform programme for the next decade
I would like to see the United Kingdom rejoin the European Union during my lifetime. There are options that must be considered, and we must look at what is feasible.
Burnham said he would present the different options for the long-term relationship with EU partners around a UK-EU summit.
The Financial Times reports that a major UK-EU summit is due next month, and El Pais says some sources put it on 20 November.There are several. We will see whether it is possible to find a consensus around one of them.
Polls show a majority in favour
Polling results differ by pollster. After the speech, YouGov found 52% of Britons would vote to rejoin and 27% would vote to stay out, with more than one-fifth of 2016 Leave voters now saying they would rejoin. A poll by European Movement UK with Observant put support at 57% to 30%, and found nearly three-quarters of Labour voters want a manifesto commitment to talks on rejoining. Reform UK was the only party whose voters opposed such a commitment. Franceinfo cites polls putting 59% of Britons in favour of rejoining, and street reactions were divided.
- YouGov, rejoin
- 52 %
- YouGov, stay out
- 27 %
- European Movement/Observant, rejoin
- 57 %
- European Movement/Observant, against
- 30 %
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, rejected the idea of a second referendum.
It is so contradictory. Andy Burnham says he wants to unite the country. But a second referendum would divide it deeply, as never before.
What rejoining would involve
The Financial Times reports that rejoining would require an application under Article 49 of the EU treaties and negotiation across 35 chapters of EU law. Membership must then be approved unanimously by existing members and ratified in national parliaments. A report by Best for Britain, led by former UK trade department official Oliver Nicholls, argues the process could be much faster than a decade, citing Finland's completion of accession in less than three years in the mid-1990s. The European Movement's roadmap sets a target of 2036 and says a manifesto commitment at the next election, expected in 2029, could give a clear electoral mandate. A parliamentary debate on a petition backing rejoining is set to take place on Monday, with around 26,000 letters already sent to MPs.
After 10 years out, 10 years to gain full admission again is sensible.
Expert doubts
Anand Menon, professor of European politics at King's College London, said Burnham's comments need to be taken with a pinch of salt.
Menon added that the debate is not a genie that can be put back in the bottle, whatever Burnham intended. Michael Leigh, former director-general for enlargement at the European Commission, described the comments as largely symbolic and warned both sides against raising expectations that will not be fulfilled in the foreseeable future.He didn't commit to anything.
