Could Andy Burnham reset Britain’s relationship with the EU?

World brexitDefenceeuuk Could Andy Burnham reset Britain’s relationship with the EU? Andy Burnham Confirmed As New Labour Leader Relevant News Could Andy Burnham reset Britain’s relationship with the EU? 24 July 2026 Fytiris orders rapid-response teams in every province after highway chaos 24 July 2026 Ultrafine air pollution linked to two million deaths a year, Cyprus Institute researchers find 24 July 2026 Theodosis Pipis 24 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Within the first 48 hours new British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, boasted his pro-Europe stance and promises a warmer relationship with Brussels. Within his first days in office, Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, signalled that he wanted a warmer and more ambitious relationship with the European Union. Burnham told European leaders that closer UK-EU ties would be important to both sides and instructed officials to prepare for a summit later this year. However, while he has previously expressed hope that Britain could eventually rejoin the bloc, he has ruled out reopening the Brexit debate for now. The new Labour leader became the seventh British prime minister since 2016 when he took office on 20 July following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation. Burnham’s first Downing Street day was both ceremonial and strategic. He met King Charles III and took office after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation. He then used his first public remarks to promise both a perfect continuation of and a radical break with the immediate past as embodied by his predecessor. Professor James Ker Lindsay, speaking to en.philenews stated that “Keir Starmer put ridiculous red lines and failed because he was a bad politician. He closed too many doors, especially with the EU. Burnham should scarp that.” He has openly commented on his hopes that Britain will rejoin the EU in his lifetime, but he has also said he does not want to “rerun” Brexit and is not campaigning to re-enter now. But what could Burnham really mean for EU-UK relations? Is a reset on the cards? Burnham has been unknown in Brussels, until recently, however, EU leaders were quick to congratulate the UK’s new PM. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressed her commitment to deepening the EU–UK partnership, highlighting the importance of cooperation for the security of the European continent and the prosperity of citizens on both sides of the Channel. “I look forward to working with you to strengthen the EU-UK partnership, for the security of our shared continent,” she stated on X. At first glance, it looks as if he wants a closer relationship with the bloc on migration, security, and economic ties, while keeping Labour’s strict lines on the customs union, the single market, and the free movement. Ker-Lindsay remains sceptical about how far Burnham will be prepared to go. He noted that Burnham had supported the Remain campaign in 2016 but accepted the referendum result rather than continuing to argue publicly for closer integration. “Burnham opted to stand with the will of the people, who were misguided by politicians like Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage,” he said. “He knew this was going to be a disaster, but once the voting was over, he went silent. I was really disappointed, and this is one of the main reasons I am not confident about his approach to the EU.” The economic pressure for closer ties The United Kingdom post-Brexit has been struggling according to experts. The economy is significantly smaller that it would have otherwise been, trade has suffered, business investment and productivity growth have stalled, and families are on average a thousand pounds a year off. Since the end of the EU transition period on 31 December 2020, growth in UK goods exports has slowed relative to the G7. But service exports have performed more strongly. The OBR estimates this is because the UK-EU trade and cooperation agreement Boris Johnson agreed with Brussels created more friction for goods than services. “Unless you fix Britain’s relationship with the EU, the British economy cannot be fixed,” Ker-Lindsay said. “I do not think Burnham will be that figure, but I am here to be proven wrong.” A secure solution? Defence. Security and defence may offer Burnham the most immediate opportunity to deepen cooperation with the EU without reopening the broader Brexit debate. Since the UK’s departure from the European Union, many opportunities to develop mutually beneficial defence and security cooperation remained untapped until the Labour government revived momentum in this area. The Security and Defence Partnership agreed in May 2025 marked a significant step forward, complementing existing agreements and providing an important framework for deeper UK–EU cooperation. This was accompanied by political dialogue and new opportunities for industrial and technological collaboration. “Military and defence could bring Britain closer to the EU, as both sides have an aligned foreign policy, and due to foreign policy being a less sensitive subject on political grounds, this should be used to draw Britain closer to the bloc,” Ker-Lindsay added. EU member states’ defence expenditure sharply increased between 2021 and 2026. The EU has taken a number of initiatives to complement and amplify member states’ individual efforts, and to boost competitiveness. In 2025, member states’ defence expenditure reached €418 billion, rising for the 11th consecutive year. In 2026, it is expected to reach an estimated €454 billion. This means that defence expenditure in 2026 has increased by 8.6% compared with the previous year and by 75.3% compared with 2021. Similarly, the UK government in 2025 committed to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 or 2.6% of GDP when including additional elements of security and intelligence spending, and to spend 3% of GDP in the next Parliament. It has since further committed to increasing spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035, in line with a new NATO target. EU-UK relations since Brexit The UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020, shifting EU–UK relations from membership to partnership based on negotiated agreements, with the jewel in the crown of this relationship the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation (TCA) agreement. This agreement came into force in 2021. The TCA provides for tariff and quota free trade in goods, while introducing new customs procedures, regulatory checks, and limits on the free movement of people and services. As a result, economic ties remain substantial, but trade and mobility have become more complex than during the UK’s EU membership. More recently, EU–UK cooperation has broadened in areas such as support for Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, defence, energy security, and research collaboration. While the UK remains outside the EU’s single market and customs union, both parties have shown increasing willingness to pursue pragmatic cooperation where mutual interests align, reflecting a relationship that is less integrated than before Brexit but increasingly focused on strategic partnership. Former PM Keir Starmer pursued a pragmatic “reset” of UK–EU relations, emphasizing closer cooperation while ruling out rejoining the EU, the single market, or the customs union. This approach culminated in the 2025 UK–EU Summit, where both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation through new security and defence arrangements, measures to reduce trade frictions in selected sectors, and renewed commitments to people-to-people exchanges. Although Brexit does mean Brexit, the Starmer government sought to replace the constructive partnership focused on delivering practical benefits for both the EU and UK. For now, Burnham appears to be offering an evolution of Starmer’s reset rather than a reversal of Brexit. Read more: Burnham confirmed as Labour leader, one step from becoming UK prime minister Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Fytiris orders rapid-response teams in every province after highway chaos Ultrafine air pollution linked to two million deaths a year, Cyprus Institute researchers find Man, 41, in ICU following Limassol towing accident Could DISY itself be vindicating Christodoulides and Anastasiades? 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