Public will expect me to grab EU deal with both hands, Burnham claims

The public will expect the Government to grab “with both hands” the opportunity to boost economic growth through closer trade ties with the EU, Andy Burnham has said.

The Prime Minister defended plans to accept a new agreement with Brussels on food and farming as he attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua.

Asked if he believed it was acceptable for the UK to have its rules on food trade made by the EU without any input, Mr Burnham told broadcasters: “What’s facing me two weeks on Friday is a UK-EU summit where I have the opportunity to add to UK growth.

“It’s estimated up to 0.4% extra on GDP.

“I think people in Britain would expect me to take that with both hands, given where we’ve been in recent times, and that’s what I’m doing.

“We’re not in the EU, therefore, we do have to work with them in a different way.

“But if that can get growth, if that can help our farmers, if that can remove red tape from British businesses, I think most people would expect me to go to that summit and negotiate the best deal that I can.”

The Prime Minister had earlier told the Economist magazine that the Treasury had confirmed in recent days that agreements under negotiation ahead of a summit later this month could raise GDP by 0.4% – up from the previous estimate of 0.3%.

Mr Burnham wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme at a Brussels summit on November 20.

In a sign that a food and agriculture deal is almost finalised, a draft text has been circulated among the 27 EU members, the BBC reported, along with similar documents on the emissions trading and youth mobility plans.

Speaking to the Economist, the Prime Minister appeared to hit back at Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who has warned against reopening debates about Brexit as the Government explores options for the UK’s long-term relationship with the bloc.

“I think it’s interesting because I sense, since conference, that there is an appetite to discuss it,” he said.

“And those who are making the argument over ‘oh my goodness, don’t open up this psychodrama’ are misreading the public mood in my view.”

He said the Treasury had updated its calculations of the potential growth on the table if agreements are secured.

Adding 0.4% to GDP is “a number that you cannot ignore”, he told the Economist.

Mr Burnham has told ministers that the period beyond the summit would be to “explore options” for the long-term relationship that will eventually be put to the public.

His remarks in recent weeks have fuelled questions about the prospect of the UK returning to the EU or adopting its freedom of movement rules, but in a separate interview airing on Tuesday he insisted voters would ultimately be “the boss” of any changes.

“I have not proposed freedom of movement coming back,” he told ITV News.

“I do believe that we should have an honest discussion with people about how immigration has changed since the Brexit vote because the shorter-term migration of people coming from Europe and then going back has been replaced with long-term settlement in bigger numbers, and that was the Boriswave.”

Mr Burnham, who fought a by-election in Leave-voting Makerfield that served as a stepping stone into No 10 with a promise not to “re-run” Brexit arguments, said he had noticed during the campaign that public opinion had changed in the constituency over the decade since the 2016 Brexit vote.

The Prime Minister has, however, committed to sticking to red lines set out in Labour’s manifesto – which rule out returning to the customs union, single market or free movement – for the duration of this Parliament.

Mr Burnham also told his Cabinet to avoid publicly backing specific options for the UK’s future relationship with the EU in a letter seeking to clarify his stance.