Andy Burnham, the former Labour minister and current mayor of Greater Manchester, has renewed calls for the United Kingdom to reconsider its relationship with the European Union, suggesting that Brexit has failed to deliver expected economic growth and effective immigration control. His comments come amid ongoing debates about the country’s post-Brexit trajectory and the potential consequences of re-engaging more closely with the EU.
Burnham argues that the UK should explore a new, closer partnership with the EU, reflecting public dissatisfaction with Brexit’s outcomes. A recent YouGov poll indicated that while 60% of respondents believed leaving the EU was a mistake, support for rejoining is more conditional. When faced with the prospect of adopting key EU policies, including the euro currency, public opinion turned more negative, with 45% opposing reentry compared to 35% in favor.
Opponents of rejoining highlight the stringent conditions that the EU might impose on any new member state. EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos has outlined a framework where countries undergo a 15-year probation period after accession. During this time, if a member state is perceived to deviate from EU laws or values, the bloc could impose sanctions such as cutting funding or removing voting rights by a qualified majority vote. Critics also point to the EU’s economic challenges, including high regulatory burdens and energy costs, which former Italian Prime Minister and ECB President Mario Draghi has cited as impediments to European companies’ competitiveness against global rivals from the US and China.
Economically, recent figures show the UK’s GDP growth slightly outpacing that of the broader eurozone, with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) projecting the UK’s annual growth rate at 1.1% for 2026. Germany’s economy faces significant strain from energy policies, while France grapples with rising public unrest and debt concerns. Several EU member states, including Belgium, have also experienced social tensions related to immigration.
On immigration, the EU has recently intensified border control measures, including new rules allowing member states to transfer migrants to processing centers outside the bloc—policies reminiscent of the UK’s controversial Rwanda scheme, which was ultimately abandoned. These developments suggest that immigration control remains a contentious and complex issue across Europe, not solely within the UK.
Burnham’s stance has drawn criticism for downplaying the role of successive UK governments, predominantly Conservative, in shaping post-Brexit outcomes. Critics argue that Brexit returned political sovereignty to Britain without guaranteeing economic or immigration benefits, and that domestic government decisions have significantly influenced the country’s current challenges. They contend that continued adherence to many EU regulations and international agreements has limited the government’s ability to fully exercise new powers.
Furthermore, Burnham’s proposals to decentralize authority, including empowering regional mayors at the expense of Westminster’s central government, and plans to fast-track legislation affecting voting laws, have raised concerns about potential weakening of parliamentary governance and democratic accountability.
Observers note that Burnham’s approach echoes long-standing debates over the balance between national sovereignty and supranational cooperation, as well as the distribution of power within the UK’s own political institutions. While advocating for increased local control and closer EU ties, his critics argue these moves may paradoxically diminish democratic control at the national level.
As the UK continues to navigate its post-Brexit landscape, discussions about the country’s future relationship with the EU and the nature of its domestic governance remain highly contested and politically sensitive.