Andy Burnham has suggested it is “possible” Labour’s next election manifesto could include an in-out referendum or even a pledge to rejoin the European Union.
The Prime Minister said “this isn’t about leaping to a referendum” as he seeks to find a political consensus on the UK’s future relationship with Brussels.
But, he said, if public opinion is “pointing towards” backing re-entry into the bloc, he could commit to holding a vote on the issue in the next manifesto.
He also declined to rule out skipping a referendum and fighting the next general election on a promise to rejoin.
Brexit’s ‘more harm than good’
In his first Labour Party conference speech as leader, the Prime Minister said Brexit had done “more harm than good” and promised to set out the options to the country around the time of a UK-EU summit, which he said would be in November.
Blaming Brexit for a decade of drift and division, Mr Burnham told ITV News: “I can’t avoid the Europe question if I’m to put out a credible 10-year plan for Britain.”
Asked whether that could mean sticking to the status quo, he said: “I don’t know what Europe will say about the different options.”
“We’ve got to look at where we are, where they are and see what is a realistic and viable approach in all of the areas that we mentioned and then open up a conversation about it.”
He said his “instincts” were that “it is better to be closer” to the EU “with all of the threats that we see around the world”.
‘Things are possible’
The Labour leader insisted he was not “leaping towards” any one option such as a referendum, telling the BBC: “I think we’d have to see where the options fell out, what people feel about them, and then, depending on what people seem to be pointing towards, what we then do.”
But pressed on whether he could promise an in-out referendum after the next election, he said: “Yeah, things are possible.”
He acknowledged that “we have to proceed with great care” because “referendums do damage” and “divide households and communities,” amid concerns over reopening the wounds of the 2016 Brexit vote.
Challenged over whether he could skip another referendum and put rejoining the EU in the manifesto, Mr Burnham told Channel 4 News: “I wouldn’t rule anything out at this moment.”
International reaction
Before entering Downing Street, Mr Burnham had said he wanted to see the UK back in the EU within his lifetime.
Asked on Sky News whether he stood by that, he said: “I said in my lifetime and I’ve said that I’m not going to pull back from that.”
Earlier on Wednesday, the Prime Minister said the range of options included going “all the way” with a proposal to rejoin the bloc.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, speaking at a joint press conference in Madrid, welcomed his remarks.
Mr Macron said it was “very good news” for both the UK and Europe, quipping: “Welcome back.”
Mr Sanchez said Brexit was a “huge loss” for the UK population and the EU project, and that Spain would “open its arms” to the UK if it decided to rejoin.
