Overview
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a formal review of the UK’s post‑Brexit relationship and has confirmed that rejoining the EU is one of the options the government will examine.
- Burnham told the BBC he believes the current Brexit arrangements have done more harm than good and that the review will assess what is realistically achievable to mend ties with European partners.
- France’s Emmanuel Macron and Spain’s Pedro Sanchez publicly welcomed the suggestion that Britain could rejoin the EU.
- The review is being presented alongside domestic fiscal proposals, including a proposal to alter the pension triple‑lock to help fund a National Care Service, tying foreign‑policy choices to how services would be paid for.
- Any move toward re‑entry would be complex and long‑running, would likely need an electoral mandate or parliamentary agreement, and will be further defined by the government ahead of the postponed UK‑EU summit.