Brief
Neil Kinnock backs Andy Burnham’s push to re‑join EU
Kinnock calls Burnham’s EU‑reset plan authentic and urges MPs to reconsider Brexit.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock said on Monday that Prime Minister Andy Burnham will lead Britain back into the European Union, after Burnham hinted at a fresh referendum and pledged to use an upcoming UK‑EU summit in Brussels to push for a "Brexit reset".
What happened
Burnham told parliament that the next UK‑EU summit, scheduled for next month in Brussels, will focus on growth, immigration and security, and he warned that "sticking with the status quo is not good enough". He described ignoring the opportunity to seek a new deal as a "dereliction of duty". Kinnock, speaking to Italy’s la Repubblica, described Burnham’s commitment to re‑joining the bloc as "authentic" and said the prime minister has "always been a committed pro‑European".
What the reports add
The Independent notes that Kinnock repeated his earlier view, expressed over the summer, that re‑joining the EU is "the only patriotic thing to do" for Britain. He also argued that the EU‑UK relationship in 2016 no longer exists, meaning any new membership would be "starting almost from scratch, although not quite" because many UK regulations already align with European standards.
What was said
"Andy makes the declaration of his determination to change the relationship, and it's obvious that his objective is to join again," Kinnock told la Repubblica. He added, "If you love your country, and the people who live under the flag – and not just saluting the flag – then you will want to get us back into the European Union." Burnham, in his parliamentary statement, said the public backs his pragmatic approach and warned MPs that "sticking with the status quo is not good enough".
How it came about
Burnham’s EU‑reset pledge follows his September 30 announcement that he would review the UK’s relationship with the EU and would not rule out a re‑join referendum, as covered in Felo’s earlier article Burnham pledges EU relationship review, hints at re‑join referendum. Kinnock’s comments echo his summer interview with The Independent, where he framed EU re‑membership as a patriotic imperative.
Key facts
- Neil Kinnock said Andy Burnham will lead Britain back into the EU. (independent.co.uk)
- Burnham plans to use a UK‑EU summit in Brussels next month to push for a Brexit reset. (independent.co.uk)
- Burnham warned that ignoring a new EU deal would be a "dereliction of duty". (independent.co.uk)
- Kinnock described Burnham’s pro‑European stance as "authentic" and "always" held. (independent.co.uk)
- Kinnock said re‑joining the EU is "the only patriotic thing to do" for Britain. (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Andy Burnham will be the man to take Britain back into the EU, Neil Kinnock says”
