Burnham is right to reopen the EU debate, Simon Jenkins argues

Andy Burnham is right to reopen the debate over whether Britain should rejoin the European Union, the Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins writes, calling the issue divisive, painful and politically risky — and, for those reasons, worth welcoming.

Jenkins argues that jeopardising his popularity so soon after taking office may look reckless, but that Brexit remains an urgent problem that will not go away and is still damaging the country's economy. He writes that it is the prime minister's job to challenge, if not reform, the situation.

The costs cited

The column points to polling suggesting nearly 60% of Britons now regard Brexit as a mistake, with about a third still in favour. Almost a quarter of those who voted to leave say they regret it, Jenkins writes. While early forecasts of economic disaster proved wrong, he puts the accumulated cost of cutting links with Britain's biggest trading partner at an estimated 6-8% of GDP, describing it as the greatest act of self-harm by a British government in modern times.

Jenkins notes that Keir Starmer began easing some barriers a year ago with modest deals on youth exchange and meat exports. Burnham wants to go further, with negotiations resuming in Brussels next month. In the Commons, Jenkins writes, Burnham cited damage to the car industry, while agriculture remains tangled in dozens of pages of regulation and cars and passengers queue for hours at borders.

Caution urged

Burnham has stressed that he would not renege on Labour's 2024 election pledge to honour the referendum in this parliament, but he wants the debate revived and has said he hopes personally to see Brexit reversed one day. He seeks what he called "an honest discussion ... an open conversation". Mentioning the possibility of free movement for EU passport holders drew a sharp response from Reform UK's Nigel Farage, who Jenkins says cried "betrayal ... catastrophe".

Jenkins cautions that public regret does not translate into agreement on an alternative. Support for rejoining stands at 55% of Britons, he writes, but falls to 35% if the condition is surrendering the UK's previous opt-outs, which would mean joining the euro and the Schengen passport-free travel zone. He sketches possible middle-ground models — a bespoke place within a wider European economic area, or membership of the European Free Trade Association or a customs union — while noting some existing EU countries might reject them.

He recalls that Ireland and Denmark previously reversed anti-EU referendum results by negotiating opt-outs with Brussels, whereas David Cameron sought no such remedy in 2016 and simply resigned. During post-referendum Commons debates, Jenkins argues, many MPs would have favoured a "soft Brexit", but Jeremy Corbyn's Labour preferred to exploit Theresa May's internal divisions, leaving the way open for Boris Johnson and his hard Brexiters.

Jenkins' proposed next step is a strong cross-party Commons committee to monitor November's talks and take the conversation forward, concentrating on reducing barriers to trade and growth and promoting cultural and security relations with Europe. He argues the negotiations should be boring, over regulations, conventions and protocols, and would inevitably involve compromise that leaves both sides with something gained.

Source: The Guardian Business.