How Osborne’s Independent interview persuaded Burnham to reconsider customs union

Andy Burnham’s drive to forge closer links with the European Union – including opening the door to reversing Brexit – has partly been inspired by a major interview that The Independent carried out with former chancellor George Osborne.

As first revealed by The Independent earlier this week, the prime minister is looking at a number of options about reversing Brexit, including fully rejoining the EU.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Burnham quoted an exclusive interview with Mr Osborne byThe Independent’s editor in chief Geordie Greig where the former chancellor called for the UK to rejoin the customs union.

While the status quo is also on the table in the options Mr Burnham is considering, he made it clear that he thinks “Brexit has done more harm than good.”

He said: “We could look at what (former Conservative chancellor) George Osborne has said about a customs union, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about the single market – or we could go all the way.”

The Independent’s Europe: The Way Back campaign has been at the heart of a new push to forge closer links with Europe and has been helped shine a light on the harms of Brexit.

A major debate is set to be taking place in the Commons on 12 October on whether the UK wants to rejoin the EU. But privately the majority of Mr Burnham’s cabinet support the idea, although have concerns about political risks with a resurgence of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

In his speech to the Labour conference in Liverpool, Mr Burnham said: “I will say it straight. Britain has been on the wrong path for a long time. Deindustrialisation. Deregulation. Privatisation. Austerity. Brexit.

“And what has it given us? A country run for vested interests. Not in the public interest. With power held in too few hands. And too many places left to drift.”

He added: “Brexit hasn’t given us control. We’ve lost some of the control we had over our economy, as a decade of low growth has put us in a weaker position. And we’ve lost some of our control over immigration,” he said.

Mr Burnham said he would set out “options” on UK-EU relations later this year, telling members that Britain must decide on its “long-term relationship” with the bloc.

Later, first secretary of state Louise Haigh told BBC Radio 4 that “the current settlement [with the EU] is not working for Britain”, and when asked whether a pledge to rejoin could be included, said Labour’s red lines “will remain in place for the duration of this parliament”.

However, as with other reforms such as ending the pension triple lock guarantee, introducing a new national care service and nationalising water, energy and housing it was clear that a reversal of Brexit will feature in the next manifesto.

Ms Haigh added: “Brexit has harmed our economy, has harmed our security, and has harmed our ability to control our borders.

“And later this year, Hamish Falconer in my team will lead the UK government negotiations [with the EU] to get a food deal and an energy deal that will help drive down prices for consumers here in this country.

“But that's not enough. It's not enough to substantially improve our position.”

One minister told The Independent that “it is not if but how” the pledge on Brexit is phrased.

But Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice told The Independent that Mr Burnham was “trying to sneak us back into Brussels via the back door”.

“He says Brexit has done more harm than good but what's done real harm is a Labour government that can't deliver growth, can't control migration and now wants to outsource the job to Brussels,” he said.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, which campaigns for the UK to restore its EU membership, said: “It’s vital the Labour government seizes this moment, not in 2029 or a year, or six months time. With the public behind him, progressives imploring them, and the economic case etched in stone, we should signal to the EU - today - that the UK is ready to apply for membership, to take us back to where we belong at the heart of Europe.”

As prime minister Andy Burnham looks at the way ahead for Britain's relationship with Europe, The Independent has been leading the charge, campaigning to secure the absolute best deal for Britain. Become an Independent member for just £1 for six months and join a like-minded community of thousands signed up to our Europe: The Way Back campaign.Benefits

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