Burnham claims EU summit could boost growth and help control illegal migration – UK politics live

The prime minister tells MPs the next summit with the EU will be held on 20 November

Burnham to urge MPs to embrace closer ties with EU

Key events2m agoBurnham says Tories shouldn't oppose revised deal with EU if they are serious about growth8m agoBadenoch accuses Burnham of casting doubt on legitimacy of Brexit referendum result13m agoBurnham says 'public will be the boss' in any future decisions about closer relationship with EU20m agoBurnham claims deals to be agreed at EU-UK summit could boost economy by £10bn per year24m agoBurnham says plot against RAF Fairford 'highly likely' to have been coordinated by Iran, and further sanctions against them planned28m agoBurnham says he welcomes what Trump said about energy ceasefire in Ukraine34m agoBurnham opens Commons statement by praising Sagal Abdi-Wali's 'story of hope' from refugee to MP38m agoNext EU-UK summit to take place on 20 November in Brussels, European Council president says55m agoLabour says Farage copying his asylum crackdown policy from Restore Britain – while Tories claim plan is same as theirs2h agoAI minister Kanishka Narayan says breach of UK's cyber defences 'likely, if not inevitable'3h agoReform UK proposes potential 40-fold increase in illegal migration checks, with 'every organ of British state' involved3h agoNo 10 says Burnham accepts Brexit referendum result 'legitimate', despite Russian interference3h agoZia Yusuf says Reform UK would not send asylum seekers back to countries where they would be tortured or killed3h agoFarage backs Ukraine – but says it's 'one of most corrupt countries on earth', and questions how UK aid is spent3h agoFarage suggests Ukraine should not wait until end of war before holding presidential election4h agoFarage says he does not back Trump buying diesel from Putin, but claims EU's record worse4h agoFarage criticises Sun for being part of pro-Badenoch 'establishment ecosystem' that won't accept Tories doomed4h agoFarage concedes Brexit has made life 'marginally harder' for some firms, but claims others have benefited4h agoFarage calls Burnham 'a liar', saying he was wrong to say Russia interfered in Brexit referendum5h agoBurnham says Farage 'very significantly responsible' for UK failing to move forward in past decade5h agoBurnham says Badenoch's attack on ethnonationalism in Tory conference speech 'very brave'5h agoBurnham says US plan to livestream execution by firing squad 'quite abhorrent in many ways'6h agoBurnham says governments in past have not done enough to tell public about extent of Russian interference in UK politics6h agoFarage says Reform UK would stop anyone being granted asylum for five years6h agoEd Davey praises Burnham for confirming Russia tried to influence Brexit referendum result7h agoTories accuse Burnham of being ‘dangerous and divisive’ after he confirms Russian interference in Brexit campaignAndy Burnham delivers statement on strengthening ties with EU – watch liveFrom 3h agoDowning Street has said that Andy Burnham does not think Russian interference in the 2016 Brexit campaign affected the result.

Asked if that was the implication of the PM’s comments to the Rest is Politics podcast (see 10.33am), the PM’s spokesperson told journalists at the lobby briefing this morning:

double quotation markGiven everything we know about Russia, it is inconceivable they did not seek to use the referendum to their benefit. But as the minister [Stephen Doughty] said this morning, we do not believe they have succeeded.

The spokesperson said the PM “absolutely accepts the referendum result”.

After repeated questioning the spokesperson added: “Yes, we do believe the referendum result to be legitimate.”

Key events2m agoBurnham says Tories shouldn't oppose revised deal with EU if they are serious about growth8m agoBadenoch accuses Burnham of casting doubt on legitimacy of Brexit referendum result13m agoBurnham says 'public will be the boss' in any future decisions about closer relationship with EU20m agoBurnham claims deals to be agreed at EU-UK summit could boost economy by £10bn per year24m agoBurnham says plot against RAF Fairford 'highly likely' to have been coordinated by Iran, and further sanctions against them planned28m agoBurnham says he welcomes what Trump said about energy ceasefire in Ukraine34m agoBurnham opens Commons statement by praising Sagal Abdi-Wali's 'story of hope' from refugee to MP38m agoNext EU-UK summit to take place on 20 November in Brussels, European Council president says55m agoLabour says Farage copying his asylum crackdown policy from Restore Britain – while Tories claim plan is same as theirs2h agoAI minister Kanishka Narayan says breach of UK's cyber defences 'likely, if not inevitable'3h agoReform UK proposes potential 40-fold increase in illegal migration checks, with 'every organ of British state' involved3h agoNo 10 says Burnham accepts Brexit referendum result 'legitimate', despite Russian interference3h agoZia Yusuf says Reform UK would not send asylum seekers back to countries where they would be tortured or killed3h agoFarage backs Ukraine – but says it's 'one of most corrupt countries on earth', and questions how UK aid is spent3h agoFarage suggests Ukraine should not wait until end of war before holding presidential election4h agoFarage says he does not back Trump buying diesel from Putin, but claims EU's record worse4h agoFarage criticises Sun for being part of pro-Badenoch 'establishment ecosystem' that won't accept Tories doomed4h agoFarage concedes Brexit has made life 'marginally harder' for some firms, but claims others have benefited4h agoFarage calls Burnham 'a liar', saying he was wrong to say Russia interfered in Brexit referendum5h agoBurnham says Farage 'very significantly responsible' for UK failing to move forward in past decade5h agoBurnham says Badenoch's attack on ethnonationalism in Tory conference speech 'very brave'5h agoBurnham says US plan to livestream execution by firing squad 'quite abhorrent in many ways'6h agoBurnham says governments in past have not done enough to tell public about extent of Russian interference in UK politics6h agoFarage says Reform UK would stop anyone being granted asylum for five years6h agoEd Davey praises Burnham for confirming Russia tried to influence Brexit referendum result7h agoTories accuse Burnham of being ‘dangerous and divisive’ after he confirms Russian interference in Brexit campaignIn his response to Badenoch, Burnham said that her comments about the proposed EU-UK deal revising the Brexit settlement implied that she wanted to preserve the status quo.

double quotation markI’m sure I heard her say at her conference that increasing growth would be the operating principle of any government that she leads.

So how can she justify turning her back on a deal that is potentially on the table now to add billions to the UK economy? How can they justify turning their back on farmers and the food industry?

And referring to her attack on his negotiating tactics, Burnham added sarcastically: “Because the Tories were so good, weren’t they, at negotiating deals with our with our partners?”

In her response to Andy Burnham, Kemi Badenoch criticised him for focusing on Brexit at a time when she said he should be focusing on issues like the cost of living.

On Europe, she accused him of failing as a negotiator, because he had already revealed “his entire negotiating hand”.

And she accused him of suggesting the result of the Brexit referendum was illegitimate with his comment about Russian interference.

double quotation markHe implied that the referendum result was illegitimate because of Russian interference. Where has this come from? We all remember in 2018 the head of MI5 said that there was no evidence that Russia had influenced the EU referendum result.

Even this morning, his own foreign minister could not say if the evidence existed. So will he confirm here and now whether he believes the referendum result was legitimate?

Burnham confirmed that he wanted to open a discussion about the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

double quotation markIf we are serious, if we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security, it is a conversation we must have.

The status quo is not good enough for Britain.

Worse, it would be a major dereliction of duty to turn away.

We need to take a calm, clear-eyed, rational look at the world as it is today to consider what is best for our country.

Our immediate priority is securing a successful outcome at the summit, and I believe we should then set up a serious dialogue about the different options for our relationship in the long term.

At every stage, the British public will be the boss, and I am clear that public opinion currently supports a pragmatic approach like the one I am suggesting.

Burnham gave further details of how a revised deal with the EU could boost the economy.

double quotation markAt present, entire truckloads of plants or fresh produce can be destroyed because of a single missing stamp or a minor paperwork delay. Fresh meat and fish spoil while waiting in trucks, and tonnes of exports have to be written off. Our largest food exports, Scottish salmon, faces a 100% rate of document checks at the border, costing us around £100m in lost exports. British burgers and other fresh meat products cannot be sold in the EU. Seed potatoes from Scotland and shellfish from Wales are banned. This is having a real impact on businesses and the agreement on the table could reverse some of that damage.

For farmers and food producers, it will lift the burden that can reach £1,400 on a single shipment for our small businesses. It means no more export health certificates, which can cost up to £200 each time for households. It will ease the pressure on prices in the supermarket … The proposed energy deal could cut wholesale energy costs by 20%.

On immigration, we could link up our law enforcement efforts once again, sharing more data and criminal records of foreign nationals, as well as faster electronic evidence from the phones of those behind the gangs.

It is in Britain’s interest to secure a deal along these lines, and I will work hard over the next five weeks to achieve it.

Burnham confirms the next EU-UK summit will be on 20 November.

double quotation markThis summit presents an opportunity to make progress on two crucial issues boosting UK growth, and controlling illegal immigration.

On the table is a trade deal on food and drink products, a deal on emissions trading, progress towards linking our energy systems, a new youth experience scheme and deeper cooperation on immigration.

The summit will also be an opportunity to raise our concerns about Made in Europe, and it is clear to me that there is an opportunity to make progress in all of these areas.

Together, these deals will add the equivalent of over £10bn per year to the UK economy by 2040, with the potential to add significantly more. We should not turn our backs on this opportunity.

Burnham turns to the plot against RAF Fairford that led to the US withdrawing its bombers.

double quotation markThe home secretary will update the house regarding the incident at RAF Fairford, but I can confirm our assessment that it is highly likely to have been coordinated in Iran, almost certainly directed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard.

We will not tolerate these threats on our soil.

We will crack down on Iran’s use of criminal networks, using our full range of powers to target them and their funding streams, and we will bring further sanctions to restrict the capacity of Iran and the IRGC to do us harm.

Burnham said the RAF plane sent to help Saudi Arabia with refuelling in their fight against the Houthis has now completed 14 operational missions.

Burnham says he welcomes President Trump’s announcement of an energy ceasefire in Ukraine. He says:

double quotation markI welcome President Trump’s announcement yesterday of a reciprocal energy ceasefire.

President Zelenskyy has assured me Ukraine would immediately implement it when a start date is confirmed, and I will be discussing this further with him in the coming days.

(Burnham is being tactful. This is the ceasefire that Trump announced when Zelenskky knew nothing about it.)

Burnham said he took a message to the UN “that after a decade of turbulence, Britain is back and can be relied upon as a consistent and stable partner in an uncertain world”.

He says in New York he assured President Zelenskyy of the UK’s support for Ukraine.

double quotation markSince that meeting, Russian strikes have intensified even further, with more attacks on civilians on apartment blocks housing innocent families, on buses carrying innocent children.

When I spoke to President Zelenskyy on Saturday, he described the step change from Russia, including daylight attacks intended to break their will and ours.

Andy Burnham is making his Commons statement. He says it will cover the UN general assembly that he attended, and he says it will cover related developments too.

But he starts by welcoming the new MP for Holborn and St Pancras, Sagal Abdi-Wali.

double quotation markWhat a journey from child refugee to parliament and what a country, that this story of hope could happen here.

Jennifer Rankin is the Guardian’s Brussels correspondent.

The EU and UK summit will take place on 20 November in Brussels, a senior Brussels official has announced, ending months of uncertainty about the event.

The EU-UK summit – the second gathering of its kind – will be hosted by European Council President António Costa and the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

“The European Union and the United Kingdom are like-minded partners, united by common values and shared interests,” said Costa, a former Portuguese prime minister, who chairs summits of the EU’s 27 leaders.

double quotation markOur security and prosperity are closely intertwined, making a strong partnership between us essential. By deepening our co-operation, we can strengthen our ability to address the challenges of our time, strengthen our resilience and promote stability in Europe and beyond.

At the November summit, the two sides hope to sign three agreements: a food-and-drink deal to ease Brexit red tape; a pact linking the EU and UK’s emissions-trading systems, so avoiding European carbon taxes on British businesses; and a youth mobility scheme, enabling under 30s to live, work, study and travel for a time-limited period on both sides of the channel.

The agenda was agreed by Keir Starmer, who ruled out the UK rejoining the EU, its single market and customs union.

EU officials have also said the summit would be an occasion to discuss the future of the relationship, while stressing the UK needs to define what it wants.

One of Andy Burnham’s top priorities for the EU relationship is to ensure the UK is not disadvantaged by the bloc’s ‘Made in Europe’ laws that could favour EU manufacturers in strategic sectors, such as renewable energy, nuclear and electric cars.

Germany is leading a push for an inclusive definition of Made in Europe to include the UK, but France wants to ensure only EU companies can benefit from public subsidies and contracts in these sectors. The EU is not expected to reach agreement on a key Made-in-Europe law until December, meaning the issue will not be settled by the summit.