The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham, made it clear this Monday that he will not promote the country's return to the European Union in the current term, emphasizing that he will respect the "red lines" set by the Labour Party and that he will not push for a new referendum. Nevertheless, he has acknowledged that the possible reintegration into the community bloc is something he would like to see "throughout his life."
"We have a decade of experience and, now that we look back at Brexit, I don't think it has turned out as people said it would at that time. Brexit has been tougher than what was proposed during the referendum campaign, it has weakened our economy and has also reduced our control over immigration," the British leader stated in an interview with ITV.
In any case, Burnham has stressed that he is not considering reversing Brexit or requesting re-entry into the European Union. "Not during this legislature. We are very far from that at this moment," he pointed out, while defending the need for London to negotiate with Brussels a series of "practical measures" so that the current agreement "works better" than it does now.
Thus, he has ruled out calling another consultation about membership in the European bloc, insisting that the decision has already been made and that "52% of the country voted in favor of leaving." "I am not proposing any changes during this legislature. I am not going to stray from the red lines that were in the Labour Party's electoral program," he emphasized.
"What I can do is adopt practical measures to improve the functioning of the agreements, so there will be a summit between the United Kingdom and the EU," he indicated, referring to the meeting scheduled for November in Brussels. Burnham intends to come with proposals to strengthen ties with former European partners, emphasizing that the current framework "is not good enough" for the interests of the United Kingdom.
When questioned about his personal stance regarding a possible return to the European Union, Burnham admitted that he would like to see it "in what remains of his life." "But I am not going to get ahead of public opinion. I am not going to impose my own opinions on this matter, it is necessary to ensure that the British people are the ones who have control over the entire process," he explained.
Among the reasons that, in his opinion, justify a closer approach to the EU, the 'premier' has cited the problems faced by exporting companies, particularly in the food sector. "It has to go through a large number of bureaucratic procedures. Often, that means that their products are left inside a truck or a container in one of our ports," he pointed out, describing the impact of the new trade barriers.
In relation to immigration policy, he has also questioned whether Brexit has fulfilled its promises, highlighting that now the country records "permanent and long-term migration," in contrast to what he previously described as "the free movement of people" under membership in the European bloc.
"We have the wrong kind of immigration. Before there was a kind of revolving door: people came, stayed for two or three years, and then returned to their country. That has changed, and I think we must be honest about all these issues," he added, calling for an honest debate about the consequences of Brexit.