Britain Could Rejoin EU In Burnham’s Lifetime, But Not During This Parliament

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said Britain’s current Brexit deal with the European Union is not “good enough” for the country, pledging to seek a better arrangement with Brussels while ruling out a return to EU membership during the current Parliament.

In his first live television interview since becoming prime minister, Burnham told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday that Brexit had not delivered what voters were promised, particularly on immigration. He said Britain had weaker control over immigration than before, citing difficulties returning people who cross the English Channel in small boats.

“We have a decade of experience now looking back at Brexit, and I don’t think it has played out as people said it would at the time, particularly when it comes to immigration,” Burnham said.

He added that he would not propose changes to Britain’s relationship with the EU during the current parliamentary term but wanted the country to rejoin the bloc within his lifetime.

“I am not going to move ahead of the public. I am not going to dictate in terms of my own opinions here,” he said, underlining his position that any major shift in Britain’s relationship with Europe must have public backing.

Freedom Of Movement

Burnham separately ruled out restoring EU freedom of movement without a referendum, following questions over his call for an “honest discussion” about the issue.

He said Britain needed a more functional relationship with the EU, including cooperation on immigration and arrangements to support farmers and food manufacturers. He also argued that the loss of a returns agreement had contributed to the small boats crisis.

“I will never move ahead of the British public when it comes to Brexit,” Burnham said.

The prime minister left open the possibility of campaigning for Britain to rejoin the EU at a future general election, although he said no election was imminent. He also ruled out recommending that Britain join the Schengen border-free area or replace the pound with the euro.

Immigration Rules

Burnham also backed Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s proposal to extend the waiting period for foreign workers to qualify for indefinite leave to remain to 15 years.

He supported the principle of an “earned settlement”, arguing that the sharp increase in people arriving on longer-term visas in the early 2020s had created a challenge for the immigration system. Mahmood is expected to set out the final details of the proposed changes.

Burnham is due to meet European Union leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, at a summit in Brussels on November 20. He said he would present options for improving Britain’s relationship with the bloc before the meeting, seeking practical agreements without moving ahead of public opinion on Brexit.