UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to push for closer ties with the EU and confirmed he will attend a UK-EU summit in Brussels next month. Speaking to parliament on Monday, he said some parts of the trade agreement struck after the 2016 vote to leave would be reopened.
Burnham told MPs that the British public should hold the final say at every stage of the process. He also said he wanted “serious dialogue” about the country’s long-term ties with the bloc.
Summit priorities: growth, border control and trade rules
Burnham said his main goals at the summit would be lifting economic growth and curbing illegal immigration. Talks in November are expected to cover reducing red tape for British food exports and emissions trading.
Other items on the agenda include a planned youth experience scheme and closer cooperation on migration.
Burnham’s case for change and the opposition response
The prime minister, who took office in July, argued that the new arrangements could undo some of the harm done to the post-Brexit economy. He urged MPs to view the world realistically as it stands today, insisting that standing still was unacceptable and that public opinion backed a pragmatic approach.
Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch responded that Burnham would not manage to secure a better deal, describing EU negotiators as tough and warning that he had already revealed his position.
