Abstract:
The British Prime Minister said on Tuesday that he planned to launch a discussion on "the long-term relationship between the UK and its European partners" on the eve of the UK-EU summit. European diplomats expect the summit to be held in Brussels on November 20.
When asked about various alternative paths on the show on Wednesday, Burnham said: "We can maintain the status quo. If the people think the current status is appropriate, that is certainly an option."
“We can refer to the customs union plan proposed by former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, or we can study the single market proposition proposed by the Liberal Democratic Party at its party congress, or choose to completely return to the EU.”
He said: "There are obviously multiple options to consider. We have to evaluate which ones are feasible and the pros and cons of each option."
Labor officials said any new policies would be included in the next Labor election manifesto. Burnham's spokesman declined to say whether a new referendum would be held if the Brexit result was to be overturned.
Burnham said he hopes to seek "consensus" on this issue. But restarting the controversial national debate on Brexit is likely to re-inflame past differences.
At the same time, even if Burnham seeks new cooperation terms in the next election, there is still great uncertainty about whether the EU is willing to accept the conditions proposed by the UK.
Conservative deputy leader and MP Alex Bogart accused the Prime Minister of having "no plan to deal with the various challenges facing the country" after taking office.
He added: "That's why he is trying to reopen old wounds and reopen the debates of the Brexit era. Labor cannot shift the responsibility for its poor economic policies to the referendum more than a decade ago."
Graham Stringer was one of the few Labor MPs to support Brexit in the 2016 Brexit referendum. He said: "The only principled way to return to the EU is to hold a referendum and have a full debate."
He also said: "The side that supports returning to the EU will lose by a wider margin, and we may once again find ourselves in a hostile and tense debate."
However, in his speech, Burnham touched on major political issues such as Europe and promised to solve the UK's social care crisis, earning applause from many Labor activists and cabinet members.
But a host of final decisions on European policy, social care reform and the promise to scrap Westminster’s “first-past-the-post” electoral system have been deferred until the next general election, which is likely to be three years away.
The Labor Party’s 2024 election manifesto promised that the UK would not join the customs union, the single market, or return to the EU. After Burnham’s speech at this party’s congress, these former “red lines” are no longer fixed.
Sandro Gozzi, member of the European Parliament and former Italian EU Affairs Minister, said: "Andy Burnham is right: Brexit will do more harm than good. His proposal to shift to a new path deserves a serious response from Europe."
“Let us turn this opportunity into practical plans to promote a closer partnership between Britain and Europe and bring a more prosperous and secure future to people and businesses on both sides of the English Channel.”
The British Cabinet Office said: "The date of the summit has not yet been finalized. Both sides have agreed to hold a UK-EU summit this year, and we will announce the timetable as usual."
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