Prime Minister Andy Burnham has admitted he could go "all the way" and propose rejoining the European Union as he considers Britain's future relationship with Brussels. The Labour leader said he would look at the "pros and cons" of all options, prompting anger among Brexiteers and a furious response from the Conservatives.
Tories accuse Burnham of betrayal
In a spiky response, Tory deputy leader Alex Burghart said: "You cannot trust a word Andy Burnham says. Just a few weeks ago he said he wanted to move on from the Brexit arguments and now he is dragging Britain back into them by floating the prospect of rejoining the EU."
He added: "Labour cannot blame a democratic vote from over a decade ago for the consequences of their own economic decisions. While they look backwards, the Conservatives will look forwards."
The Tories pointed to Mr Burnham's stance during his Makerfield by-election campaign of not wanting to "rerun" the Brexit argument.
Burnham's options
When asked whether he wanted Britain to rejoin the EU, Mr Burnham told the BBC's Today programme he wanted to "look at the options".
He said: "We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay. We could look at what (former Conservative chancellor) George Osborne has said about a customs union, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about the single market, or we could go all the way."
Labour's 2024 election manifesto ruled out joining a customs union, returning to the single market, or allowing the return of freedom of movement with the EU. But Mr Burnham has indicated he is prepared to recommend going beyond those red lines in future.
Conference speech
In his Labour Party conference speech on Tuesday, Mr Burnham said Brexit had done "more harm than good". He also called for the country to decide its "long-term relationship" with Brussels. Mr Burnham confirmed he would use a UK-EU summit later this year to lay out the "different options" available.
The Labour leader used the speech to set out a radical plan to overhaul Britain. The takeaway headline was his controversial proposal to scrap the triple lock from 2030 to free up cash for his long-standing ambition to create an NHS-style care service in England. He also announced plans for greater public control over housing, water and energy.
The speech was Mr Burnham's first real chance to lay out his vision for the country, having become Prime Minister with no national campaign.
