Burnham says closer EU ties could lift growth and curb illegal migration

what happened

According to the BBC, Prime Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons that closer cooperation with the European Union could support economic growth and help tackle illegal migration. The UK-EU summit, postponed after former prime minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation, will take place in Brussels on 20 November.

Possible agreements cover food and drink trade, linking energy systems and coordinating on migration. Burnham said the measures could add the equivalent of £10bn a year to the economy by 2040, while an energy agreement could reduce wholesale energy costs in Northern Ireland by 20%. He described turning away from a closer relationship with the EU as “a dereliction of duty”.

Burnham said he would not reopen Labour’s red lines on joining the EU single market and customs union, and would not revisit the Brexit referendum. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the government was trying to “unpick” an agreement reached after the referendum, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey called for negotiations on a “better deal for Britain”.

The prime minister also said it was “highly likely” that the RAF Fairford attack was coordinated in Iran and “almost certainly directed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards”. A major incident was declared after three suspicious vehicles were reported near the airbase on 27 September. A 22-year-old British national was later arrested on suspicion of preparing acts of terror; five men arrested earlier were released on bail.

why it matters

The announcement puts future UK-EU trade, energy and migration arrangements in focus for markets. Planned sanctions against Iran and a new partnership with Germany on Russia’s hybrid threats add to the geopolitical backdrop surrounding the government’s policy.

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