British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Monday Britain should improve its EU trade deal, with a November summit set to focus on lower business costs as he ruled out seeking re-entry during this Parliament.
In an Oct. 26 interview with ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Burnham said he would not campaign to restore EU membership during the current Parliament. He said he hopes Britain will rejoin in his lifetime, adding, “I am not going to move ahead of the public.” His remarks followed earlier remarks signaling openness to EU free movement.
Burnham said Brexit had weakened the economy. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates in its March 2026 forecast that long-run productivity under current UK-EU trade arrangements would be 4% lower than in a scenario where Britain remained in the bloc. The OBR cites increased trade barriers beyond tariffs as a main reason. The figure compares projected paths; it does not measure output already lost.
The British government plans to seek agreements to cut costs and paperwork for farmers and businesses at the UK-EU summit in Brussels on Nov. 20. The meeting’s outcome remains to be negotiated. At their May 2025 summit, the UK and EU agreed to deliver an agri-food deal establishing a joint Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Zone. The government says the planned zone would remove border paperwork and routine checks.
Labour’s manifesto rules out returning to the EU single market, customs union or freedom of movement while supporting efforts to reduce trade barriers. In the June 2016 referendum, 51.9% voted to leave the EU and 48.1% to remain. The Nov. 20 summit is the next scheduled step in talks on the trade relationship.
