Andy Burnham will signal a shift in Labour policy toward closer EU engagement when Parliament returns this week, warning that rejecting opportunities for deeper cooperation would constitute a "major dereliction of duty".
The prime minister will deliver a Commons statement focused on the economic and security damage caused by Brexit, urging MPs to back what he describes as a pragmatic reassessment of Britain's relationship with Europe. According to a No 10 source, Burnham will argue that "most of the public would expect the government to seize the opportunity if closer cooperation could strengthen immigration controls while reviving the economy."
The statement precedes an upcoming UK-EU summit and comes as MPs debate a petition with over 111,000 signatures calling for Britain to apply for EU membership. Burnham has already declared publicly that Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, though he has not disclosed evidence or suggested it altered the result.
The move marks a significant departure from his predecessor Keir Starmer, who ruled out rejoining the single market or customs union. At Labour's conference last month, Burnham said Brexit had caused greater harm than good and promised to examine Britain's long-term EU relationship, opening the door to options including full bloc membership.
Immediate negotiations will focus on removing trade barriers affecting food imports and exports and expanding cooperation on migration control. Senior Conservatives have vowed to reverse Labour's moves toward closer ties, including a proposed agreement designed to ease post-Brexit agricultural trade barriers. Business groups have warned that abandoning such arrangements could extend the costs and uncertainty caused by border checks and paperwork.
The intervention has prompted unease within Labour's own ranks. MPs representing leave-voting constituencies fear reopening the Brexit debate could reignite old divisions. Senior ministers have issued warnings about the political and economic risks of pursuing EU membership, reflecting divisions within the government itself over how aggressively to pursue integration.