UK Prime Minister Burnham Says Brexit Cost More Than It Gave, Ahead of EU Summit

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Saturday that the UK has “lost more than we gained” since leaving the European Union, adding to a run of recent comments critical of Brexit, according to The Guardian and The Independent.

Speaking at the Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno, Burnham blamed the Conservatives for making Brexit harsher than voters expected and said he would seek the best possible deal for Wales when he meets EU leaders in Brussels next week.

What did Burnham say about Brexit?

Burnham accused the Conservative Party of having burned bridges with the EU after the 2016 referendum. The Independent reported that he said the country has lost more than it has gained over the past 10 years, and that the Conservatives delivered a harder Brexit than people thought they were voting for.

He said he would lead on the issue as prime minister and try to secure benefits for Welsh farmers and for exporters of Welsh shellfish and lamb, The Guardian reported.

What is he trying to agree with the EU next week?

According to The Guardian, Burnham is due to attend a UK-EU summit in Brussels on Nov. 20 and meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council head António Costa. Agreements that could be signed cover food and farming, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme.

Burnham says the agreements could raise GDP by 0.4%, which The Guardian put at about £17 billion. He will also explore options for a different long-term relationship with Brussels, the paper reported.

What does this mean for everyday costs?

Burnham framed the talks around the cost of living. The Guardian reported that he said a new food and farming deal would help bring food prices down and put more money in the pockets of British exporters. He said the government must be willing to take difficult decisions to get the cost of living down.

The prime minister did not give figures for price cuts in the remarks reported by the two outlets. The only economic estimate cited is his claim that the overall package could lift GDP by 0.4%.

Is the UK planning to rejoin the EU?

Not yet, and Burnham stressed that voters would ultimately be “the boss” of any changes. The Guardian reported that he has recently said he is open to rejoining the single market, the customs union or even the EU itself. On Saturday he repeated that he would respect the Labour manifesto’s red lines, which rule out returning to the customs union, the single market or free movement, as well as the referendum result.

The Independent reported that his remarks in recent weeks have fueled questions about whether the UK could return to the EU or adopt its freedom of movement rules.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron, who stepped down after the 2016 vote, told Bloomberg this week that starting a debate about rejoining would be very long and painful. The Independent reported that he said flirting with rejoining could undermine efforts to get a better deal, because EU countries might see no point in offering one.

What is Brussels saying?

The Guardian reported that senior figures in Brussels want to see the UK begin paying for access to the European programs it says it wants to join. Michel Barnier, the EU's former Brexit negotiator, told the BBC the UK could not rejoin the single market piece by piece, and said there was no possibility of having one of the bloc's freedoms without the others.

The government has already signaled it is willing to pay. According to The Guardian, the UK was prepared to spend up to £450 million a year to give EU students discounted tuition fees in return for access to the Made in Europe industrial program. The newspaper also reported that Hamish Falconer, the cabinet minister in charge of EU talks, said Britain was willing to discuss contributing to infrastructure projects in poorer parts of the EU in exchange for access to the European electricity market.

What happens next?

The Nov. 20 summit in Brussels is the next test. Whether the EU accepts the UK's proposals on food, emissions trading and youth mobility, and what it asks for in return, will show how far the new approach can go within the limits Burnham has set.

Around Prague, based on reporting by The Independent, The Guardian

Cover photo: Rwendland / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped

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