Burnham says there is "no confusion at all" over EU position
Andy Burnham has said there is "no confusion at all" over his position on the European Union. He made the remarks to MPs during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, 28 October. He said the government has a collectively agreed position on the EU, which he had set out. BBC News
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him during the session of failing to respect the 2016 Brexit vote, the referendum on leaving the European Union. She said he had created confusion and asked whether he wanted a referendum on rejoining the EU.
Mr Burnham denied that he had shifted his stance since the Makerfield by-election, a vote to fill a single seat in the House of Commons. He had promised in that contest not to re-run the Brexit debate.
Earlier this week, he suggested he could call a referendum on the UK returning to EU freedom of movement, the right to live and work across EU countries. Reuters reported on 25 October that he was open to discussing a return to those rules.
On Wednesday he said that manifesto red lines, meaning positions his party will not give up, including on freedom of movement, would stay in place for the whole of this Parliament. He also said it was his responsibility to improve the UK-EU Brexit deal, which was ratified in 2020.
The next formal step is a summit in Brussels. The European Council said it will meet Mr Burnham on 20 November for an EU-UK summit. Reuters At the summit, he will push for options for a reset covering youth mobility, meaning arrangements for young people to live and work in each other's countries, along with food, drink and energy.
