Burnham rejects Cameron's claim Brexit not linked to low growth

Mayor Andy Burnham challenged Lord David Cameron's recent remarks that the United Kingdom's economic slowdown over the past ten years is unrelated to Brexit. Cameron, in an interview, described the prospect of starting a conversation about rejoining the EU as “very long and painful.”

Burnham told reporters that Treasury analysis contradicts Cameron’s view, indicating that a “good working arrangement” on emissions trading, agri-food and other areas could add growth to the British economy. He added that Cameron’s intervention appears driven more by internal Conservative Party unity than by British interests.

The mayor said no discussion of re-joining the bloc is under way; instead, he is pursuing a “win-win” deal that would reflect the type of Brexit many voters expected in 2016. Burnham noted that the European side has presented requests and that the UK is putting its own proposals on the table ahead of a summit in Brussels next week, where the prime minister plans to sign agreements that could raise GDP by 0.4 percent.

Speaking at the European Political Community summit in Ireland, Burnham said the forthcoming seven-day period could produce an arrangement “more like the Brexit that people thought they were voting for in 2016,” and that such a deal would benefit both Britain and Europe.