Burnham Opens Door to UK Rejoining EU, Says 'All Options' on Table

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has signalled that Britain could eventually move "all the way" back towards European Union membership, describing rejoining the bloc as one of several long-term options his government is prepared to examine. The comments, made during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, represent one of the most significant shifts in tone on Europe since the UK formally left the EU in 2020.

Burnham spoke to the BBC just hours after delivering his first speech as prime minister to the Labour Party conference on Tuesday, a landmark moment in his premiership. Fresh from that address, he used the broadcast interview to set out a more open-minded approach to the UK's future relationship with Brussels than any of his recent predecessors have adopted in public.

The prime minister said he wanted to "find consensus" across the country on a single option that would clarify Britain's long-term position towards Europe. Rather than ruling options in or out, he framed the question as one that requires careful, evidence-based consideration. "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," he said.

Pressed on what those options might include, Burnham listed remaining as they are as a genuine possibility. "We could stay as we are, that's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay," he told the programme. The remark was notable for placing the status quo alongside deeper integration as a legitimate choice rather than treating the current settlement as permanent and untouchable.

Crucially, however, the prime minister did not confine the discussion to minor adjustments to the existing trade agreement. His suggestion that the UK could go "all the way" towards rejoining the EU implies that full membership is not being excluded from the government's thinking, even if no formal policy has yet been adopted. That language will energise pro-European campaigners while alarming those who see Brexit as settled.

The intervention comes against a backdrop of persistent economic debate about the costs and benefits of leaving the EU. Trade friction, customs paperwork and reduced access to the single market have weighed on smaller exporters in particular, while labour shortages in sectors such as hospitality, agriculture and logistics have renewed arguments about freedom of movement. Supporters of closer alignment argue that reducing barriers would boost growth and investment.

Opponents counter that reopening the Brexit question would create years of uncertainty, undermine trust in politics and distract from domestic priorities such as the NHS, energy security and levelling up. They also point out that rejoining would mean accepting EU rules without the rebates and opt-outs the UK once enjoyed, and potentially adopting the euro or joining the Schengen area, both of which remain politically toxic in much of the country.

Burnham's emphasis on "finding consensus" appears designed to avoid repeating the divisive language of the 2016 referendum campaign and the years of parliamentary deadlock that followed. By presenting a range of scenarios and promising to weigh their merits, he is signalling a technocratic, incremental approach rather than a sudden lurch back into a binary in-or-out debate. Whether that satisfies either side of the argument is far from certain.

His remarks also carry weight because of their timing. Delivering them immediately after a conference speech suggests the leadership wants Europe to form part of its broader narrative about national renewal, rather than a subject to be avoided for fear of reopening old wounds. That could mark the beginning of a more candid national conversation about what kind of relationship with Europe best serves British interests in a changed geopolitical landscape.

The context has shifted considerably since Brexit was implemented. Russia's war in Ukraine, disruption to global supply chains, energy price shocks and growing pressure on Western democracies have all changed how European cooperation is viewed. Defence, security, research collaboration and climate policy are areas where closer ties with the EU are increasingly seen as practical necessities rather than ideological choices.

Trade figures have added to the pressure. Studies by economists and business groups have repeatedly found that EU exit reduced UK goods exports and added administrative costs for firms trading with the continent. Restoring smoother market access, even short of full membership, has become a central demand from industry bodies that once largely stayed quiet on the subject for fear of political backlash.

Any move towards rejoining would nonetheless face formidable obstacles. The EU itself has shown little appetite for reopening membership negotiations with the UK, and its own rules require candidates to adopt the full body of EU law. A future application would also have to survive a referendum campaign in the UK, where polls show a divided electorate and deep regional variations in sentiment.

Burnham's comments are therefore best understood as the opening of a long process rather than a policy announcement. By refusing to close down options, he is keeping the debate alive and signalling that his government will not treat the current arrangement as a final destination. The coming months will reveal whether that translates into concrete proposals on trade, mobility or regulatory alignment.

For now, the prime minister's words have achieved one clear thing: they have put the UK's relationship with Europe back near the top of the political agenda. After years in which the subject was treated as toxic, a sitting prime minister has publicly floated the possibility of going "all the way" back. Whatever the eventual outcome, that genie is unlikely to return to its bottle.