San Francisco Frontiers - UK PM Burnham reopens divisive debate on rejoining EU

Burnham said his centre-left Labour government could go "all the way" and propose membership of the bloc after weighing the "pros and cons" of different possible relationships with Europe.

Right-wing rivals immediately criticised the comments, as the UK appeared to be gearing up for a re-run of the bitter "Brexit wars" that dominated politics following the contentious 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

Burnham, premier since July after Labour MPs turfed out Keir Starmer, told his party's annual conference on Tuesday that Britain's departure in 2020 had done "more harm than good".

He said Brexit had triggered "a decade of low growth" and Britain must "decide on a long-term relationship" with its largest trading partner.

Burnham promised to set out "different options" for future ties with Europe closer to a planned summit with the 27-member bloc later this year.

Possibilities that could be looked at included joining the European single market and customs union, "or we could go all the way", Burnham told BBC Radio's Today Programme on Wednesday.

"So there are clearly options that need to be considered, and we have to look at what is doable, and what would be the pros and cons of each.

"What I am saying is it's not good enough to leave that question just hanging," he added.

- Brexit polls -

Britain's right-wing Conservative party took Britain out of the EU after Britons voted to leave by 52 percent to 48 percent.

A poll by Survation in June found that 55 percent of voters would opt to rejoin if a referendum was held again.

"I think Burnham is recognising the widespread view in the country that Brexit has failed, and in the Labour Party that closer ties are needed," David Henig, an expert on UK-EU relations, told AFP.

"As yet I don't think he is committed to rejoining, not least given fears this would be politically divisive and reopen previous turmoil, but I suspect he is starting to realise that there may be no other realistic option."

Burnham is currently bound by Starmer's 2024 election-winning manifesto which ruled out joining a customs union, going back into the single market or allowing the return of freedom of movement with the EU.

Burnham's comments indicate that he plans to remove some of those red lines going into the campaign for the next general election, expected in 2029.

- Realistic option? -

Sandro Gozi, a European lawmaker who chairs a parliamentary initiative on EU-UK relations, told AFP that Burnham's willingness to openly explore options offered a "historic opportunity" for the European Union.

Labour MP Stella Creasy said in a comment sent to AFP: "Today is the day our colleagues around Europe can see that finally the red lines have been removed."

But Anand Menon, director of the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank, cautioned against any suggestion that Burnham's comments mark the start of a return journey.

"All he seems to have said is: 'We'll have a conversation about it now'. There are quite a few people in his cabinet who would not want to see him spending a lot of time and effort dealing with Europe," he told AFP.

- Reform criticism -

Burnham campaigned to stay in the EU and has previously said he hoped Britain would return within his lifetime.

But during his successful campaign to return to parliament in June and replace Starmer in Downing Street, Burnham insisted he did not want to "rerun" the Brexit debate.

Richard Tice, deputy leader of the anti-EU Reform UK party, said Burnham was "trying to sneak us back into Brussels via the back door", while Tory deputy leader Alex Burghart accused the prime minister of looking "backwards".

The UK-EU summit had been due to be held in July in Brussels, but was postponed when Starmer was ousted.

An EU official told AFP the bloc was looking to hold the meeting in November, but the date was not confirmed.

"Clearly, the mood is positive and commitment to have a good summit is definitely there," the EU official said. "And there is a lot of work ongoing to prepare it."

The two sides had been hoping to present several deals at the summit, namely on food and animal safety standards, a youth mobility scheme and the linking of their emissions-trading systems.

Negotiations are believed to have stalled over British concerns about the EU's "Made in Europe" plans to protect certain industries.

Q.Taylor--SFF