Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that Britain should weigh its options for a future relationship with the European Union, including rejoining the bloc. It's the clearest signal yet that his government wants to rebuild ties with Europe.
Burnham spoke to the BBC after telling the Labour Party's annual conference that Brexit had "done more harm than good." He said Britain should examine different models for a long-term relationship with its closest neighbours and decide which offered the best way forward.
A Menu of Options
Burnham didn't commit to one destination. He laid out several possibilities. "We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay," he told the broadcaster. "We could look at what George Osborne has said about a customs union. We could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about single market, or we could go all the way."
The proposals come from across the political spectrum. Osborne, a former Conservative finance minister, has argued that Britain should pursue a customs union with the EU. The Liberal Democrats have called for Britain to rejoin the bloc's single market. Burnham said people should judge the options by "what is doable" and by the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Ending the Uncertainty
Burnham has framed the question around time. He has argued Britain can't afford another decade of uncertainty over the issue. He has previously said he'd like Britain to rejoin the European Union in his lifetime.
"I am very clear, and I will say this bluntly: Brexit has caused more harm than good," Burnham said. "So the question is, what do we do about that?"
Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016, ending more than four decades of membership. Ten years have elapsed since that vote. Successive governments have grappled with its economic and diplomatic consequences, while the referendum sparked years of political upheaval.
What Comes Next
The next concrete step is a summit. Earlier on Tuesday, Burnham said he would use a UK-EU summit in November to outline options for Britain's long-term relationship with the bloc. He replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister in July.
The base reporting doesn't say how Brussels or other EU capitals have responded, or what any option would require in negotiations. Those questions will shape how far the November talks can go.
Why This Matters: A British prime minister is now openly saying Brexit has done more harm than good, and that every option, including rejoining, is on the table. That changes the terms of a debate that has run since 2016. For a European Union that depends on cooperation among its neighbours, a serious conversation about rebuilding ties could matter for trade and diplomacy alike. Burnham has pledged to lay out choices at the November summit, and it's the EU side of the table that will decide what's achievable. From a social-democratic perspective, the test will be whether an open debate produces a clear, deliverable path or drags into another period of drift.