Burnham opens door to rejoining EU as he rips into Brexit

Labour leader Andy Burnham has suggested that the upcoming UK-EU summit could lead to a rejoining of the European Union, while simultaneously criticizing the decision to leave the bloc. In his Labour party conference speech, Burnham highlighted the harm Brexit has caused to Britain, specifically in areas such as immigration control.

He pledged to present possible options for the UK's relationship with the EU to the country following the summit. Burnham's spokesman confirmed that the Labour leader would "set out the options around the time of the EU summit" and "put this on the ballot paper at the next election". However, this proposal might divide Labour members due to electoral risks.

London mayor Sadiq Khan is the only key party figure who has publicly supported a pledge for the UK to rejoin the EU, while others, including Wes Streeting and Peter Kyle, have advocated for the UK to cross a "red line" and consider rejoining the customs union. Burnham emphasized that the current state of the UK-EU relationship is not sufficient and that Brexit has done more harm than good.

He also mentioned that the summit will focus on securing gains for British industries and addressing immigration issues. Burnham stated that the UK needs to decide on a long-term relationship with the EU, its largest market, to ensure a prosperous future.