Andy Burnham, the seventh UK prime minister in a decade, is largely unknown in continental Europe and has prioritised a domestic agenda of devolving powers and extending state control over vital industries over foreign policy. He may initially spend less time on diplomacy than his predecessor, Keir Starmer, who was criticised as 'never here Keir' for his frequent travels to support Ukraine and build European ties.
Starmer had begun restoring trust between Brussels and London but remained cautious on EU relations to avoid angering Labour leave voters. Burnham is likely to maintain Starmer's role in the 'coalition of the willing' on Ukraine security and other European defence initiatives, rather than retreating into nationalist isolation as Reform UK would propose.
Analysts believe Burnham will soon realise that the UK's economic stagnation and declining living standards are partly due to Brexit's damping effects on trade and investment. Even without geopolitical pressures, closer engagement with the EU as Britain's main export market would be a no-brainer for growth, experts say.
Burnham has an opportunity to review Labour's red lines on EU relations—no single market, no customs union, no freedom of movement—and pursue a more ambitious opening with his charisma. European governments are receptive on defence and security cooperation but remain wary of UK cherry-picking without accepting responsibilities like paying for market access or allowing free movement.
According to Joël Reland of UK in a Changing Europe, Burnham may sound less pro-European than Starmer but is formulating an economic and security agenda that could bring London closer to Brussels. Notably, Burnham's ambition for 'sovereign capabilities' in industries like shipbuilding and AI mirrors EU plans for 'strategic autonomy'. The new premier also faces similar populist and anti-immigration backlashes across Europe, giving him an interest in allying with pro-European liberal democratic forces against threats from Putin, Trump, and Xi Jinping.
