DUBLIN: Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to travel to Dublin this week for a meeting of the European Political Community, as his push to reopen the Brexit debate revives old divisions.
The gathering on Thursday will be Burnham’s first encounter with many European leaders as Prime Minister, a week before a European Union (EU)-UK summit at which the two sides are expected to announce deals on youth mobility, agrifood and emissions trading.
“It pays to have a good relationship with your neighbours, and the practical deals we are agreeing with Europe will pay off for families across the United Kingdom,” Burnham told the Sunday Mirror. “This summit will show what we can achieve when we work together, but it doesn’t need to be the end of our ambition.”
Burnham has suggested he’ll draw up options for a new UK-EU relationship around the summit, potentially including rejoining the bloc.
“Working closely with Europe could drive growth, make our country safer and give us more tools to tackle illegal migration,” he told the Sunday Mirror, describing it as a “conversation worth having”.
But there’s unease in government about the premier’s Brexit strategy, Bloomberg has reported, with several cabinet ministers trying to dissuade him from backing rejoining and committing to an in-or-out referendum in the next parliament.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy appeared to distance herself from rejoining the EU.
“People don’t want to relitigate endless conversations about in or out, leave or remain,” she told Sky News. “They don’t want to repeat those years.”
Nandy subsequently denied that she was erring from Burnham’s position, telling the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I really don’t think you can put a piece of paper between me and Andy Burnham.” — Bloomberg
