Burnham bangs on about Brexit: PM hints at push to rejoin EU as he tells MPs summit with Brussels on November 20 will look at trade terms and youth ‘free movement’ deal

DAILYMAIL.COM • 6h ago

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, UK POLITICAL EDITOR 16:01 12 Oct 2026, updated 16:29 12 Oct 2026

Andy Burnham reignited Brexit wars today as he declared he will use an EU summit next month as a launch pad for restoring ties.

The PM announced in the Commons that he will meet European commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on November 20.

He confirmed the two sides are looking at a deal to ease the movement of food and drink across borders – as well as a controversial youth ‘free movement’ scheme.

Hinting he wants to go even further, Mr Burnham told MPs there was an ‘opportunity’ to improve ties because the ‘status quo is not good enough’ for Britain.

But he also stressed that he wanted the meeting to be the start of a ‘serious dialogue’ about the future relationship.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch shot back that Mr Burnham was reopening old divisions, and had already given away his negotiating hand to Brussels.

Boris Johnson suggested Andy Burnham is lying about Russian influence on the EU referendum today – as No10 desperately backtracked on the PM’s claim.

Mr Burnham declared in a podcast that he had been told ‘clearly’ on arriving in No10 that Vladimir Putin had meddled in the 2016 vote.

It is thought to be the first time a premier has publicly declared there was foreign influence on the process – and caused a storm of protests from Brexiteers.

But within hours Downing Street had to clarify that the Russian interference had not been successful, stressing that the Government believes the result was ‘legitimate’.

‘Given everything we know about Russia, it is inconceivable they did not seek to use the referendum to their benefit,’ the official spokesman said.

‘But… we do not believe they have succeeded.’

The spokesman added: ‘The PM accepts the referendum result, he is not looking back he is looking to the future.’

He declined to confirm that Mr Burnham had been shown specific evidence of interference.

In a furious response to the interference claim this afternoon, Mr Johnson – who led the Brexit campaign – said: ‘This is just not true.

‘As soon as I became foreign secretary I asked the security services the same question and they replied that there was no evidence of any successful interference in the 2016 referendum, by Russia or any other power.

‘Either the security services have changed their view – which would be very odd – or Burnham is lying about what he has been told.

‘After all Starmer was in power for two years and had access to exactly the same information.’

The Tories accused Mr Burnham of ‘spreading conspiracy theories about the Brexit referendum’.

Nigel Farage told a press conference: ‘The Prime Minister is a liar…. there was no Russian interference and the Russia hoax runs all the way through this.’

Mr Burnham used Labour’s conference in Liverpool last month to reveal he will set out ‘different options’ for the UK’s long-term relationship with the EU.

He also failed to rule out a future Labour election manifesto including a promise to rejoin the bloc.

In his statement to the Commons on Monday, the PM said: ‘If we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security, it is a conversation we must have.

‘Sticking with 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.’

Mr Burnham said the upcoming UK-EU summit ‘presents an opportunity to make progress on two crucial issues: boosting UK growth and controlling illegal immigration’.

He said deals on the table could provide a £10 billion-a-year boost to the UK economy.

But he acknowledged there could be a row with Brussels over the protectionist ‘Made in Europe’ scheme.

He told MPs: ‘This 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 co-operation 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.’

Mr Burnham also said he would not revisit Labour’s ‘red lines’ on Brexit – including n not rejoining the EU’s single market or customs union – prior to the next general election.

‘As much as I want to improve growth in the UK, I also want to maintain trust in politics, and I’m afraid I’m not prepared to revisit the red lines in our manifesto,’ the PM told the Commons.

But Mrs Badenoch said: ‘This is not how you conduct negotiations.’

She told the House: ‘What has the PM chosen to focus on today? Brexit.

‘His exact words earlier this year were, ‘the last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments’.

‘And yet here he is unpicking the deal this country signed with the EU a decade after the referendum.

‘He is not going to get a better deal. The EU are tough negotiators, and it’s not just that the EU are tough negotiators, he has already revealed his entire negotiating hand.

‘He has just blurted out everything he wants in this statement and I will tell him now, as a former trade secretary, this is not how you conduct negotiations.’

Mr Burnham last month used his Labour conference speech to reopen the issue of EU membership, despite vowing before taking over from Keir Starmer that he would not.

Mr Burnham told Europhile party activists that he wanted to explore ‘options’ including committing to rejoin in the next election manifesto. He refused to say whether there would need to be another referendum.

Ahead of the Commons returning this afternoon, a No10 source said: ‘Andy understands why some politicians don’t want to face up to the reality that Brexit has not delivered what they once promised.

‘But it is time for a different conversation about what our long-term relationship should be.

‘Sticking with the status quo and not working relentlessly to secure a good deal that boosts growth would be a major dereliction of duty.’

Meanwhile, London mayor Sadiq Khan stepped up his drive for rejoining the EU, saying the ‘case has never been stronger’.

‘The Mayor believes that walking away from our largest trading partner was the biggest act of economic self-harm in the history of our country,’ a spokesman told the Standard.

‘That is why he wholeheartedly supports the Prime Minister’s ambition to seek a closer relationship with the EU to put our capital, country and continent on course for a more secure and prosperous future.’

He added: ‘The case for rejoining the EU has never been stronger – and Sadiq is clear that immediate steps should be taken to deepen integration with our European neighbours in order to boost our economy and drive-up living standards.’

More in Common polling released today underlined the scale of the challenge facing Mr Burnham in winning public support for any option.

Two-thirds of Brits were adamant a referendum would be needed to rejoin the EU.

But large proportions have tricky red lines, with 45 per cent saying any contributions to Brussels coffers would be unacceptable.

Some 40 per cent insisted access to UK fishing waters would be a dealbreaker – even though EU boats have been granted rights even after Brexit.

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