Burnham leaves open referendum on Britain rejoining the EU

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has left open the possibility of Labour promising a referendum on rejoining the European Union at the next general election, while also declining to rule out campaigning for membership without a separate public vote.

According to The Independent, Burnham told ITV News it was “possible” that Labour’s next manifesto could include an in-out referendum if public opinion was moving towards supporting a return. He stressed that closer relations with Brussels were not about “leaping to a referendum”.

The comments concern the possibility of restoring full EU membership, rather than an announced referendum specifically on freedom of movement. They leave both the route and the eventual policy undecided.

Membership among several options

Burnham set out a range of possible relationships with the EU in broadcast interviews, from maintaining the current arrangements to pursuing a customs union, returning to the single market or seeking full membership.

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, he said the government needed to consider what was achievable and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each option.

Asked separately by Channel 4 News whether Labour could put rejoining the EU in its manifesto without holding another referendum, he replied: “I wouldn’t rule anything out at this moment.”

Burnham had previously expressed a wish to see Britain return to the EU within his lifetime. Asked by Sky News whether he still held that view, he said he was not pulling back from it.

He has also promised to set out the options around the time of a UK-EU summit later this year.

France and Spain welcome possible return

French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the prospect of Britain rejoining, while Macron cautioned against expecting selective access to the benefits of membership.

At a joint press conference, Macron described a British return as “excellent news” and “a good decision”. Sánchez said Britain would be welcomed back “with open arms”.

Macron nevertheless warned that Britain could not pick and choose among the EU’s freedoms, accepting only the elements it wanted while rejecting others. Those remarks signal support for a return, not an agreement on membership terms.

A departure from Labour’s Brexit commitments

Labour’s 2024 election manifesto ruled out joining a customs union, returning to the single market or restoring freedom of movement with the EU. Burnham had previously said he would maintain those commitments but has since indicated that he could recommend going further.

The Conservatives criticised his comments as an attempt to reopen the divisions of the Brexit years. Former Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove argued that reversing Brexit would fuel public frustration by returning authority over important policy decisions to Brussels.

For people following the debate because of its implications for living or working across borders, the distinction is important: Burnham has outlined political options, not announced a change to freedom-of-movement rules. Any future Labour commitment, referendum proposal or membership terms remain to be settled.