Rachel Reeves says UK’s future is in EU as she backs Andy Burnham on Brexit

The former chancellor Rachel Reeves has argued the UK’s future should be inside the EU, saying Brexit has made the UK “poorer, weaker and less secure”.

Writing in the Sunday Times, the Labour former cabinet minister said she welcomed “Andy Burnham’s leadership” after remarks made by the prime minister in recent days fuelled questions about the prospect of Britain returning to the bloc or adopting its freedom of movement rules.

Burnham wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme at a summit with the bloc next month, but told ministers that the period beyond that would be to “explore options” for the long-term relationship.

Reeves, who was sacked as chancellor by Burnham when he took office, said: “I am proud of the progress we have already made in strengthening our relationship with the European Union. Brexit has made us poorer, weaker and less secure.

“There is a debate to be had about our future relationship with Europe, and I welcome Andy Burnham’s leadership in facing up to this. No one in the Treasury ever doubted where my instincts were.”

Although Reeves said she believed “Britain’s future lies in the European Union”, she stressed it was “incumbent on supporters of our re-entry to make the argument, demonstrate tangible benefits and to get the next steps right”.

The prime minister this week warned individual ministers it would not be appropriate “to advocate for specific options or opine on the likely outcome” any process to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU.

In a letter to his cabinet, Burnham said any “fundamental change” to post-Brexit arrangements would be for the public to decide and left to the next parliament.

Reeves said that at the forthcoming UK-EU summit, she hoped there would be confirmation of the youth mobility scheme . She said she was also hoping for “progress towards entry” into the Security Action for Europe (Safe) scheme.

Announced in March, Safe is part of an EU-wide effort to rearm after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A defence pact agreed with the EU in May paved the way for UK-based defence companies to be part of projects funded by the scheme.