Labour leader says current Brexit deal fails the public and insists any change must come through democracy
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Andy Burnham condemned the existing Brexit settlement as too weak for the UK economy and immigration control, while saying he would not force a rushed return to the EU or an early election.
Labour leader Andy Burnham said the United Kingdom’s present Brexit arrangement does not meet the needs of the British public, arguing that it has damaged both the economy and the country’s ability to manage immigration. He said the deal has produced a "harder Brexit than was proposed in the referendum campaign" and has helped fuel the small-boat crisis because the UK can no longer return migrants to Europe.
"I’ve said I’m going to be honest and say, in my lifetime I would like to see that happen, but I am not going to move ahead of the public. You have to make sure that the British public are the bosses," Burnham told Good Morning Britain when asked whether he wanted Britain to rejoin the EU.
Burnham stressed that he is not calling for a parliamentary vote on re-entry and will not walk away from Labour’s manifesto commitments. He said the priority is practical improvements to the existing arrangement and expressed hope that the upcoming UK-EU summit on 20 November could deliver a deal that helps British food manufacturers, which he said have been badly hit by Brexit.
Responding to concerns from constituents who voted to leave the EU, Burnham repeated that he will not hold a second referendum and that any future decision must rest with the public. He also backed the home secretary’s plan requiring foreign workers to wait 15 years for permanent residency, saying settlement is a right that must be earned.
Despite recent polling suggesting a rise in Labour support, Burnham ruled out an early general election, saying none is expected in the near term. He described the latest budget as offering households and businesses some "breathing space" and said it provides "a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel."