Former Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that the UK risks a poorer partnership deal with the EU if it appears to be on a path to rejoining, a message aimed squarely at current Prime Minister Andy Burnham's push for closer ties.
Cameron, a former Remainer-in-Chief, said now is not the time to consider any attempt to rejoin the EU. His comments come as Burnham prepares to attend a European Political Community meeting in Dublin, before a major UK-EU summit in Brussels later this week.
Cameron's warning on EU strategy
Speaking about "flirting with rejoining," Cameron said: "If you start endlessly producing this idea that we're actually on a path to rejoining, I think you're in danger of getting a less good partnership deal because, of course, the EU countries will just think 'Well, these guys are going to rejoin anyway, so what's the point in giving them a good partnership deal?'"
Cameron's remarks echo his own experience in early 2016, when he negotiated with the EU to limit taxpayer-funded child benefit to children living in the UK but was rebuffed by the bloc.
Burnham's push for realignment
Burnham has spoken of "the need for a closer relationship" and "the importance of a realignment," and has said it is time for "an honest conversation." He intends to "sound out" other leaders about the process and price of any realignment.
The European bloc is currently facing riots across six countries, a crisis in youth employment, growing unrest over unchecked migration, and stalled growth, raising questions about why Burnham would pursue closer ties.
The article suggests Burnham's focus on Europe may be an attempt to distract from the absence of his "ten-year plan" and the fading "Burnham Bounce."
Other notes
Separately, the article highlights a photograph of D-Day veteran Bert Courtney meeting an army cadet at a Remembrance Sunday service in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
The Princess of Wales spoke about the restorative power of nature during her recovery from cancer, saying: "Nature offers something unique. It doesn't ask anything of us. It doesn't judge us or expect us to be perfect. It simply allows us to be. Sanctuary in nature helped me to recover."
The article also notes that a long-awaited report by former Labour health secretary Alan Milburn will be delivered this week, set to recommend limiting benefits for those under 25 without conditions preventing them from working.
