Senior aides to British Prime Minister Andy Burnham have contacted think tanks and pollsters to assess public support for the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union, The Guardian reported on Wednesday, September 30. The discussions concern a possible pledge at the next election; the government has made no decision to seek membership or open accession talks.
The outreach follows Burnham’s announcement at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Tuesday that he would review Britain’s long-term relationship with the EU. In interviews on Wednesday, he said the options include keeping the current arrangement, joining a customs union, returning to the single market or seeking full membership. Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016 and formally departed in 2020.
According to The Guardian, officials have spoken with policy institutes and polling groups about how voters might respond to a promise to rejoin. Some government figures favor at least offering to negotiate re-entry in a future Labour manifesto, while others worry that such a commitment could strengthen the opposition Reform UK party. Downing Street told the newspaper that Burnham had not considered making an accession pledge in his conference speech.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez welcomed the possibility during a joint appearance in Madrid on Wednesday, according to Deutsche Welle. Macron said a British move toward membership would be positive for both sides, but stressed that the UK could not select only the parts of EU membership it preferred. The European Commission said Britain must define its own approach and that it was open to discussing proposals.
The choice could affect trade, movement of people and Britain’s domestic election debate. A customs union would require alignment with EU trade policy, while single-market participation carries wider obligations, The Guardian reported. Burnham has said he will set out options around a planned UK–EU summit in November. Any campaign pledge and any eventual membership bid remain prospective, with no terms agreed between London and Brussels.
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