As EU cosies up to Canada, Burnham’s Brexit Britain feels sidelined

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, previously a vocal critic of Brexit, became Britain’s new leader in July. His re-entry into the European Union appeared promising for UK-EU relations; however, Brussels has been focusing on strengthening ties with Canada instead. During a recent proposal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested Canada could become the EU’s first associate member, aiming to expand the trading bloc's borders and reinvent itself following Britain's departure.

The implications of associate membership are unclear, and this development may take years to determine. Nonetheless, it highlights that Canada has surpassed Britain in building better relations with the EU in terms of trade and security.

British officials have dismissed the announcement as either a political move or one that would yield little trade or economic impact soon. Despite the Labour government's disappointment over the EU not leveraging the departure of the Conservatives in the 2024 general election to reset post-Brexit relations, Burnham's ambitions for closer ties have been sidelined by the UK's new negotiators, grappling with the same issues as before the election.

The UK still remains committed to remaining outside the single market and customs union, a pledge made during the last election. British officials participating in negotiations believe that significant improvements in trading terms are unlikely unless the Labour party breaks its electoral promise. However, some in London were surprised by EU officials suggesting that the bloc is more interested in forging closer relationships with Canada than with Britain.

They criticized this as needlessly divisive when Western allies should join forces against Russian aggression. Moreover, the UK, France, and Germany have formed a more effective geopolitical bloc than the EU since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, known as the E3.

Some British officials urge Burnham to abandon the Labour party's red lines on Europe during the next election. The Liberal Democrat party advocates for rejoining the single market and customs union, viewing it as a long-term goal. With the upcoming election, the focus will be on whether the prime minister is bold enough to put his past views on the EU ahead of voters. For now, Britain may face the prospect of a largely dormant relationship with Brussels.