French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday welcomed the possibility of the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union, after UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham raised the prospect as part of a closer relationship with the bloc.
“Welcome back,” Macron said in English while speaking alongside Sanchez in Madrid. “This prime minister is moving in that direction,” Macron added. “I think it’s very good news both for his country and for the Europeans", AFP reported.
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Burnham on joining EU
Sanchez described Brexit as a “huge loss” for both the UK and Europe, saying Spain would “certainly welcome” Britain back and “open its arms once again to a brotherly people with whom Spain has such good relations in every sphere.”
Burnham, who became UK's prime minister in July after Keir Starmer resigned, said Britain could consider several options for resetting its relationship with the EU.
In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, he said these could include rejoining the bloc's single market, entering a customs union or pursuing full EU membership.
{{/usCountry}}In an interview with the BBC on Wednesday, he said these could include rejoining the bloc's single market, entering a customs union or pursuing full EU membership.
{{/usCountry}}“We have to look at what is doable, and what would be the pros and cons of each” option, Burnham said.
The comments marked a significant reopening of the Brexit debate in British politics, with right-wing opponents criticising the prospect of renewed EU membership.
Burnham had earlier told Labour's annual conference in Manchester that Britain's departure from the EU had done “more harm than good”.
He said Brexit had contributed to “a decade of low growth” and argued that the UK needed to determine its long-term relationship with its largest trading partner.
Burnham said he would set out "different options" ahead of a planned summit with the 27-member bloc later this year.
Speaking to BBC radio on Wednesday, he said these could include rejoining the European single market and customs union, adding: "or we could go all the way".
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EU says decision rests with UK
The European Commission said the UK remains a close partner but that London would have to determine how it wants to develop its relationship with the bloc.
“The UK is a close and valued partner of the European Union,” European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari said. “It is for the UK government to set out how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU going forward.”
He later said, “We remain open to engaging on the options it may put forward.”
An EU-UK summit is expected to take place in Brussels later this year, with discussions likely to include cooperation on carbon markets, food and agricultural trade, and a youth mobility programme covering travel and work.
Relations between the UK and EU have improved since Labour came to power in 2024, although disagreements remain over aspects of the bloc's proposed industrial policies and Britain's participation in EU regulatory discussions.
The UK has sought closer alignment with the EU in areas including farming and food standards, carbon markets and electricity markets. However, EU officials have stressed that Britain has no formal right to participate in the bloc's decision-making under its current post-Brexit arrangements.