Some in No 10 are keen to promise that Labour<\/a> would at least negotiate over re-entry to the bloc, something Burnham has previously said he wants to see happen \u201cin his lifetime\u201d. Others are nervous, however, that making such a promise could revive the flagging political fortunes of Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader.<\/p>\n Burnham used his first Labour conference speech<\/a> as leader to announce a review of the options<\/a> for Britain\u2019s relationship with Europe, and added on Wednesday that these options should include rejoining entirely.<\/p>\n The prime minister told delegates on Tuesday: \u201cBrexit has done more harm than good. So I will take the opportunity around the [UK-EU] summit to lay out to you, to lay out to the country, what I believe are the different options for Britain\u2019s long-term relationship with our European partners.\u201d<\/p>\n Andy Burnham announced a review of the options for Britain\u2019s relationship with Europe in his speech at the Labour party conference. Photograph: Christopher Thomond\/The Guardian<\/p>\n On Wednesday he clarified that this would include an option<\/a> to rejoin \u2013 something ruled out by his predecessor Keir Starmer.<\/p>\n Burnham told BBC Radio 4\u2019s Today programme: \u201cWe could stay as we are. That\u2019s definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay. We could look at what [the former Conservative chancellor] George Osborne has said about a customs union<\/a>, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference<\/a> about the single market, or we could go all the way<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham\u2019s comments sparked joy among pro-EU campaigners, who argue that rejoining is the best way to boost UK growth rates \u2013 and outrage from political opponents.<\/p>\n Alex Burghart, the Conservative deputy leader, said: \u201cLabour cannot blame a democratic vote from over a decade ago for the consequences of their own economic decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n The Guardian has learned that Burnham\u2019s comments are part of a wider effort by No 10 to test consensus over rejoining, with a view to possibly including such a promise in the next manifesto.<\/p>\n Officials have been in talks with several prominent thinktanks and pollsters, who have been working on projects to flesh out arguments over rejoining and test public opinion.<\/p>\n Last week, the Tony Blair Institute released a paper<\/a> arguing that Burnham should seek talks with Brussels over becoming a member once more but should only do so if Europe relaxed its regulations in sectors including energy and technology.<\/p>\n On the same day, the pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain released a megapoll conducted by YouGov suggesting Labour could more than double its seat total if it went into the next election promising to rejoin.<\/p>\n Over the coming weeks, the influential Institute for Public Policy Research will release a paper calling for the country to rejoin, while Think Labour has also been looking into how difficult it would be to do so.<\/p>\n Some in Downing Street are buoyed up by polling which shows that promising to re-enter the bloc does little to boost support for Reform. They also point out that Farage attacked the prime minister\u2019s speech for the promise to change the pensions triple lock, rather than his comments about Europe.<\/p>\n Pro-EU campaigners argue that rejoining is the best way to boost UK growth rates. Photograph: Vuk Valcic\/Zuma Press\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n The Guardian has been told that some at the top of government wanted the prime minister to use this week\u2019s speech to promise to begin work on rejoining after the next election, rather than carrying out a review.<\/p>\n skip past newsletter promotion<\/a>Free newsletter |Every day<\/p>\n Sign up to Headlines UK<\/p>\n Get the day\u2019s headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning<\/p>\n after newsletter promotion<\/p>\n In the end, such an option was ruled out because the party was already bracing itself for a fight over pensions and did not want to give succour to Farage while he faces accusations about millions of pounds\u2019 worth of donations to his party.<\/p>\n No 10 said the prime minister did not ever consider making such a promise in the speech and that it was not included in any draft of it.<\/p>\n Some believe it would be difficult to persuade Brussels, which has engaged in multiple rounds of talks about Britain\u2019s relationship with the EU, to embark on negotiations over re-accession.<\/p>\n But in a major boost to supporters of rejoining, Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday welcomed Burnham\u2019s comments<\/a>. \u201cWelcome back,\u201d the French president said in English at a press conference in Madrid on Wednesday.<\/p>\n He continued in French: \u201cIf the British want to come back and if the prime minister is moving in that direction, I think that is very good news, both for his country and for the Europeans.\u201d<\/p>\n An EU spokesperson said: \u201cThe UK is a close and valued partner of the European Union<\/a>. It is for the UK government to set out how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU going forward. We remain open to engaging on the options it may put forward.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790808136_426_500.jpg\")
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