UK — Burnham calls for closer ties with the EU: Brexit has brought more harm than good

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said today that the United Kingdom should consider the possibility of closer relations with the European Union, according to “Reuters.”

He said he would later this year present different options for how the United Kingdom could cooperate with the EU in the future.

Burnham also declared that Brexit has brought more harm than good. Brexit is the name of the process through which the United Kingdom left the European Union.

What is Burnham proposing?

Burnham said the United Kingdom must decide what long-term relationship it wants to have with the EU, which remains the UK’s largest market.

He did not announce that the United Kingdom would rejoin the EU. Instead, Burnham said he would present several alternatives and seek a broad agreement on how relations with European countries should develop.

That could mean changes to some of the limits the Labour Party had previously set for relations with the EU, including its stance on the European single market and the customs union.

The single market is the system that allows the freer movement of goods, services, capital and people among participating countries. A customs union means that countries apply common rules on customs tariffs for goods coming from countries outside the union.

What did he say about the economy and immigration?

Burnham said Brexit has not given the United Kingdom the control that was promised. According to him, the UK has lost part of its control over the economy, while the economy has had weak growth for a long period.

He also said the United Kingdom has lost part of its control over immigration, as cooperation with European countries weakened after leaving the EU.

Burnham said the government is now working to restore that control and praised the work of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on changes to the immigration system.

What happens next?

A high-level UK–EU meeting, initially planned for July, was postponed after Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, left office. No new date has yet been set.

Burnham said that around that meeting he would present to the public the alternatives for Britain’s future relationship with the EU.