Burnham to prioritise trade and migration at UK-EU summit, after accusing Russia of meddling in Brexit referendum

Britain is expected to push for a new post-Brexit trade deal and increased information-sharing on immigration at a UK-EU summit in Brussels next month. This comes as Andy Burnham, the country’s prime minister, says the post-Brexit “status quo is not good enough for Britain”, in a hint that he might seek to rejoin the European Union. And, more than a decade after the Brexit vote, he also accused Russia of having meddled in the 2016 British referendum. The UK leader will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa in Brussels on 20 November. And Costa has also said that European and British security and prosperity are “closely intertwined”, while a closer relationship could “promote stability in Europe and beyond”. Made in Europe and immigration The November summit will be an opportunity to “raise concerns” about ‘Made in Europe,’ Burnham told members of UK MPs on Monday (12 October). The ‘Made in Europe’ proposal in the Industrial Accelerator Act would require companies to source a certain number of parts from within the EU to be eligible for public money in strategic sectors. But UK officials are worried the law could hurt British manufacturers, with Burnham expected to seek concessions. But the British premier also wants to go further in renegotiating his country's ties with the EU. “On the table is a trade deal on food and drink products, a deal on emissions trading, progress towards linking our energy systems, a new youth experience scheme, and deeper cooperation on immigration,” he said. Burnham aims to address an EU import ban on UK meat, seed potatoes, and shellfish and wants to reduce costs for shipping other goods to mainland Europe. He also hopes for closer work between European and UK border forces on immigration. “On immigration, we could link up our law enforcement efforts once again [since brexit], sharing more data and criminal records of foreign nationals,” Burnham said. He may aim to rejoin the Schengen Information System, a database for border management and law enforcement cooperation in Europe. And he could also pursue greater freedoms for UK citizens to live in the 27 member states. “It would be a major dereliction of duty to turn away [from the EU]” the UK leader told parliament. 10 years on from Brexit vote The last EU-UK summit, held in London in 2025, was already branded as a reset in relations across the English channel, with a new defence and security partnership, reciprocal access to fishing waters, and expansion of student exchanges. And leaders are expected to build on the previous agreements by discussing defence, energy, and climate, as well as trade and migration, at their meeting next month. But under the terms of the EU and UK's legal divorce in 2020, the two sides remain bound by complex limitations. And Burnham told MPs on Monday that renegotiating Britain’s relations with the EU could add over £10bn (€11.8bn) per year to the UK economy by 2040, “with the potential to add significantly more,” even if it did not rejoin. Russian meddling? Burnham also told a podcast on 11 October that Russia had meddled in the country’s Brexit vote 10 years ago. Upon assuming office in July, Burnham asked officials if there had been Russian interference in the 2016 referendum, he told The Rest is Politics, and officials gave him a “clear answer that yes, there was.” “We haven’t informed people [the general public] sufficiently,” he added, amid similar Russian electoral interference in France, Germany, and further afield in Europe. For his part, British foreign secretary Stephen Doughty subsequently told the LBC broadcaster: "I don't think [Russia] succeeded in their efforts to undermine our election”. And Burnham also rowed back in the parliament debate on Monday when pressed by opposition MPs, by saying the outcome of the Brexit vote remained legitimate. But he added that Russia's meddling in the UK’s 2019 general election was a matter of record and that it was “inconceivable that this was the first time". Appetite for EU re-entry Burnham also dropped hints on Monday that Britain could rejoin the European Union. “One thing I think is true is that public opinion has moved more quickly than political opinion. I think the political class is behind the public on this issue,” he said. “At every stage, the British public will be the boss," he added, while promising a "pragmatic approach" to the hot-button issue, which has the potential to enflame right-wing anger in England. “We need to draw a line on a decade of drift and division,” from Europe, he said. But questions of a holding second referendum were “jumping ahead too far”, Burnham said. Meanwhile, the Westminster debate came after YouGov polling commissioned by Best for Britain, a pro-EU lobby group, indicated that pushing for closer EU ties would be politically advantageous for Burnham's ruling Labour party. The organisation also claimed Britain could reenter the union within five years. Brexit was “not a sacred cow”, said Emily Thornberry, a fellow Labour MP, on Monday. Sandro Gozi, an Italian liberal MEP and chair of the UK-EU parliamentary partnership assembly, also said in a statement: “As a former member, and with much of the regulatory framework already in place, I personally do not see any serious reason why an application from the UK would not be achievable.” “When countries are already closely aligned to EU rules, such as was the case for Sweden and Finland, the process for accession is faster than for applicants essentially starting from scratch,” he said.