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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK’s relationship with Brussels needs to change as he spoke to parliament ahead of next month’s UK-EU summit.
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Burnham told MPs that “sticking with the current status quo is not good enough for Britain” and that a conversation over future relations must be had “if we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security.”
“Worse, it would be a major dereliction of duty” for the government to “turn away” from exploring options for a closer relationship with the European Union, he continued, adding that his “immediate priority” was to land a “successful outcome at the summit,” which is scheduled for 20 November.
He stressed that the British public would “be the boss” at “every stage” of the process.
Burnham has repeatedly signalled his intention to move the UK closer to the EU since taking office in July and recently said reentering the bloc was one of a number of options for the country moving forward.
The PM told an audience at the Labour Party’s annual conference in Liverpool last month that Brexit had “done more harm than good” and that the UK needed a clear strategy on its long-term relationship with Brussels.
“We will not give Britain the clear path we need into the rest of this century until we decide on a long-term relationship with what is still our largest market,” he said at the time.
On Monday, Burnham said the November summit would focus on boosting growth and controlling illegal immigration, whilst some of the other issues “on the table” would be a food and drink trade deal, linking energy systems, an emissions trading deal, and a youth experience scheme.
“We should not turn our backs on this opportunity,” he added.
Right-wing figures in Britain have accused Labour of seeking to reopen the divisive Brexit debate, with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch on Monday saying Burnham was “unpicking” the withdrawal agreement with the EU and that he would not get a better deal.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said she was “really looking forward” to the upcoming summit and that the “EU and the UK have so much to achieve together.”
“Let’s be ambitious and deliver for citizens on both sides of the Channel,” she wrote in a post on social media on Monday.
RAF Fairford incident
Elsewhere in his speech, Burnham said an incident at a UK airbase in September was “almost certainly directed” by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as he warned that Britain “will not tolerate these threats.”
On 27 September, five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, southwest England, on suspicion of explosives offensives before being further arrested on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. They were later released on police bail.
Police later arrested another man, a 25-year-old dual UK-Iranian national, in London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts related to the incident. A 22-year-old British man was then arrested on 6 October, also in London and on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts. Both were released on police bail.
According to UK Counter Terrorism Policing, all seven men remain on police bail as specialist teams “continue to pursue all lines of enquiry.”
RAF Fairford is home to the US Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing headquarters and the 420th Air Base squadron. It has also served as the USAF Global Strike Command’s preferred bomber forward operating location in Europe.
In July, the IRGC said it was aware that the base was being used by US bombers as part of Washington’s military operations against Iran and warned the UK that “any base used for aggression against Iranian territory constitutes a legitimate target for our forces.”
The US has now withdrawn its bombers from Fairford.
