Andy Burnham has been accused of breaking a clear promise to voters after winning power with a narrow mandate, according to a new opinion piece. The article claims the Prime Minister's victory was secured with just 25,000 votes in the Makerfield by-election in June 2026, after he made a specific pledge to soothe concerns about Brexit.
A Promise Made and Broken?
During his bid for power, Burnham told Makerfield voters what they wanted to hear, the piece argues. Makerfield voted 65% for Brexit, and Burnham's words at the time were clear: "My view is that Brexit has been damaging, but I also believe the last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments."
He added: "I am not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU." He also said: "I respect the decision that was made at the referendum and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don't respect that vote."
Reopening the Debate
However, at the Labour conference in September, Burnham announced that Brexit had done more harm than good and pledged to set out options for Britain's long-term relationship with the EU. When the BBC challenged him over whether he was reopening the argument about rejoining, he insisted: "No, I'm not proposing that, am I?"
The options he is looking at could include a customs union, the single market, or going "all the way," as he put it. He has also called for a "reset" and advocated taking it "one step at a time."
A Question of Democracy
The piece highlights that Burnham got elected on just 25,000 votes after telling Makerfield voters what they wanted to hear about Brexit. It contrasts this with Keir Starmer, who won 9.7 million votes at the general election two years earlier, and notes that Labour's 2024 manifesto explicitly ruled out returning to the single market, customs union, or freedom of movement.
The article argues that Burnham is now floating all three options, and questions when 25,000 people can overrule 17.4 million Leave voters. It concludes by urging Burnham to state plainly if he wants to reverse Brexit and put it to the country at the next election, rather than dressing it up as a harmless reset.
