Prime Minister Andy Burnham has hinted during his conference speech that he might consider the UK rejoining the European Union, sparking internal Labour Party backlash. He said he wants to set out options for Britain's future relationship with Europe at a summit with Brussels later this year, moving beyond the 2024 election manifesto commitments which explicitly ruled out rejoining, customs unions, or freedom of movement. Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra has warned that rejoining is "unrealistic", highlighting divisions within the party over the proposal.

In interviews following his speech, Burnham told the BBC he wanted to examine all possibilities—from staying as the UK currently is, to adopting a customs union as suggested by George Osborne, to joining the single market as Liberal Democrats proposed, or "going all the way" to full rejoin. He framed this as part of his broader mission to shift the country in a new direction, stating that "we've been in a rut" and need to address fundamental problems. Burnham emphasised that the party would need to assess what is "doable" and weigh the "pros and cons" of each option, indicating he is prepared to recommend positions that go beyond the previous election's commitments.