Burnham plans to review Britain's EU strategy by year-end

Announcement of new approaches to European integration

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced his intention to present several options for deepening cooperation between his country and the European Union by the end of the current year. He made this statement during the Labour Party conference held on Tuesday in Liverpool.

Assessment of Brexit consequences

The head of the government spoke directly about the results of Britain's exit from the EU, describing the process as one that "caused more harm than good". In his words, the country must clearly define its course in long-term relations with the Union, which remains the largest market for the British economy.

Burnham emphasised that after Brexit, London "lost some control" over key aspects of the economy and migration policy. He added that decades of low economic growth rates had worsened Britain's position, and the level of cooperation with European partners in the field of migration had significantly decreased.

"Brexit did not give us control. We lost some of the control we had over our economy, as decades of low growth have put us in a weaker position. And we lost some control over immigration," – noted the Prime Minister. (Brexit did not give us control. We lost some of the control we had over our economy, as decades of low growth have put us in a weaker position. And we lost some control over immigration, – noted the Prime Minister.)

Review of pre-election promises

Burnham's statements indicate a readiness to review the approach to relations with the EU, which was enshrined in the Labour Party's 2024 pre-election programme. At that time, certain restrictions were established regarding the possibility of returning to the EU customs union or single market.

The Prime Minister explained that at the UK-EU summit, he plans to present various scenarios for future interaction with European partners. After that, the government intends to seek consensus in parliament and society to choose one of these approaches.

Migration policy and summit plans

Separately, Burnham mentioned the work of the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmud, who, according to him, is working to restore control over the migration system. At the same time, he emphasised that any changes must be made with respect for people who have moved to Britain and actively contribute to its development.

It is worth noting that the UK-EU summit, initially planned for July, was postponed following the resignation of Andy Burnham's predecessor – Keir Starmer. The new date for this meeting has not yet been determined.