UK prime minister: London should consider rejoining EU

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday that Britain must consider all options for its future relationship with the European Union, including the possibility of rejoining the bloc, as part of intensified efforts to rebuild ties with Europe.

Speaking to the BBC after attending the Labour Party's annual conference, Burnham explained that Brexit had caused more harm than good. He stressed the need for London to examine different models for its long-term relationship with the EU and determine which is best for the country's future.

Burnham added: "We can maintain the current arrangement, which is certainly an option if people see it as the most suitable." He also noted that proposals from former finance minister George Osborne to establish a customs union with the EU, as well as the Liberal Democrats' call to rejoin the bloc's single market, should be considered.

In the same context, Osborne urged Britain to seek a customs union with the EU, while the Liberal Democrats called for rejoining the single market. Burnham, who succeeded Keir Starmer as prime minister last July, has previously expressed his hope that Britain would return to EU membership within his lifetime.

Future of UK-EU relations

Burnham said that another decade of uncertainty over Britain's relationship with the EU would be intolerable. He stated: "I am very clear, and I will say this frankly: Brexit has caused more damage than it brought benefits, and the question now is: what are we going to do about it?"