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Burnham says Britons would expect him to take up new EU deal ‘with both hands’
Andy Burnham said the public would expect the government to pursue closer trade ties with the EU if they could boost UK growth. He defended a proposed post-Brexit agreement to align food and drink rules with EU standards, saying it could help farmers and businesses by removing border checks and red tape.
The government estimates the agreements under discussion could add 0.4 per cent to GDP, up from an earlier estimate of 0.3 per cent. At a Brussels summit on 20 November, Burnham aims to negotiate deals on food and drink, emissions trading and youth mobility; the food deal could also restore EU pet passports for UK travellers.
In short
- Burnham backs closer EU trade ties to support growth.
- Proposed food rules deal could remove border checks.
- GDP estimate has risen from 0.3 to 0.4 per cent.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Closer EU trade ties could reduce border checks and paperwork, helping farmers and businesses trade more easily and potentially supporting growth. If the agreements are expected to raise GDP, pursuing them may be a practical response to public interest in economic benefits while leaving Brexit in place.
The case against
Aligning food and drink rules with EU standards could limit the UK’s freedom to set different regulations and bring future policy changes into line with Brussels. The projected growth gain is modest and uncertain, so critics may question whether it justifies the obligations or could instead favour other ways of reducing trade barriers.
Explained simply
The UK left the European Union in 2020, ending its participation in the EU single market and customs union. Since then, trade in goods has involved new rules and checks, including for food and drink.
Andy Burnham is a senior Labour politician, while the UK government negotiates with the EU on Britain’s behalf. Aligning some UK rules with EU standards could reduce checks and paperwork for businesses, but would also mean following shared rules in those areas.
The talks matter because trade affects businesses, jobs and economic growth. Other proposed areas include carbon trading and short-term travel for young people; any agreements would set the terms of closer cooperation between the UK and EU.
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