LONDON, September 30. /Dunyo IA/. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that rejoining the European Union could be considered as one of the options for shaping the country’s future relationship with the bloc, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

In an interview with the BBC, he said the current “Brexit” settlement had caused “more harm than good” for the UK and that the government needed to determine what changes to its relationship with the EU would be practically achievable.

According to him, London could maintain the current arrangement, consider returning to the EU customs union or single market, or go further – potentially restoring full EU membership. He stressed that each option should be assessed in terms of its feasibility, advantages and potential consequences.

“We could stay as we are. That’s definitely an option,” the prime minister said, adding that the UK could also consider a customs union, the single market or “go all the way”.

Andy Burnham plans to present different options for the UK’s long-term relationship with Europe at a UK-EU summit scheduled for the end of November. He has previously said he intends to use the meeting to develop a clearer strategy for relations with the European bloc.

The statement marks a significant shift in the Labour Party’s position since the 2024 general election. In its election manifesto, the party pledged to make “Brexit” work but ruled out returning to the EU customs union or single market.

Earlier in September, PM also declined to rule out campaigning at the next general election for the UK to rejoin the EU. During the campaign that preceded his return to Parliament, however, he said he did not intend to reopen the Brexit debate and was not proposing that the UK consider rejoining the bloc.

The idea of reconsidering relations with the EU has already drawn criticism from the opposition. The Conservatives accused the government of reopening divisions over Brexit, while representatives of Reform UK said the prime minister was attempting to bring Britain back into European structures “through the back door”.

The UK left the European Union in January 2020 following the 2016 referendum, in which a majority voted for “Brexit.” After leaving the bloc, London and Brussels established a separate framework for their trade and political relations.

The previous Labour government under Keir Starmer pursued limited closer ties with the EU, including cooperation on food standards, youth mobility and the carbon market, but did not propose returning to the single market or customs union.

In September, former Prime Minister Tony Blair also called for Britain to work towards rejoining the European bloc over the next decade.

Photo credit: Reuters