Burnham: Rejoining the EU is a debate ‘for another day’

Andy Burnham, speaking at the United Nations summit in New York, has not ruled out the UK rejoining the EU, stating the debate is "for another day". His priority is to build on the work done by Keir Starmer in fostering connections. The Prime Minister emphasized that the focus now is on the UK-EU summit, set to occur later this year, with the aim of reaching practical agreements to bolster the British economy.

Issues such as EU requests regarding youth mobility are highlighted as important for discussion. Burnham added that other matters, including potential rejoining the customs union, are for another day. The Prime Minister has previously expressed a desire for the UK to rejoin the EU during his lifetime but tempered these comments during the Makerfield by-election.

Labour figures, including London Mayor Sadiq Khan, have called for Labour to campaign on rejoining the economic bloc during the next General Election. The EU's "Made in Europe" scheme, aimed at prioritizing contracts for firms based on the Continent, is expected to be a major topic during Burnham's negotiations. Burnham expressed concerns about the scheme, warning it could lead to "collateral damage" for UK manufacturers.