Burnham calls current Brexit deal insufficient, cites economic decline and border issues

Prime Minister Andy Burnham told Good Morning Britain on Monday that the current Brexit deal is not good enough for the British public. He stated that the outcome has differed from the promises made during the referendum campaign, resulting in a harder split from the European Union that has weakened the domestic economy.

Burnham acknowledged that Brexit has complicated border control. He explained that the UK can no longer return people to Europe in the same manner it previously did, a factor he linked to the rise in the small boats crisis. "I think we've got weaker control now," he said. "The reason the small boats crisis has arisen is because we can't return people and people know we can't do that in the same way that we used to be able to."

When asked directly if he wanted Britain to rejoin the EU, the Prime Minister responded that he would like to see it happen in his lifetime. However, he emphasized that he would not move ahead of the public opinion. "I am not going to dictate in terms of my own opinions here, you have to make sure that the British public are the bosses," Burnham said.

The Prime Minister clarified that he is not proposing an immediate return to the EU within the current parliament. "We're way, way away from that at this particular point in time," he noted. Instead, he advocated for practical steps to improve the existing arrangement. He said he would not move away from the red lines established in the Labour manifesto.

Burnham addressed concerns from Labour MPs in leave voting constituencies in northern England and the Midlands who fear that reopening the debate could benefit Reform UK. He referenced the specific result in his own constituency of Makerfield, where 65% of voters chose to leave the EU. "I said we wouldn't rerun the referendum and that's not what I'm doing," he said. "The British public, the people of Makerfield, will be the bosses here."

The Prime Minister expressed hope that the UK-EU summit scheduled for 20 November would produce a deal beneficial to British food manufacturers. He noted that the industry has been hit hard by the changes in trade rules. "What I am saying is we need to take some practical steps to make the arrangement work better," he added.

In a separate development, Burnham backed the principle behind Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's plan to require foreign workers to wait 15 years for permanent residency. He stated that Mahmood was correct to pursue the policy based on the idea that settlement is a right to be earned rather than granted automatically.

The Prime Minister also ruled out an early general election, despite recent polling data suggesting a positive shift in Labour's support. "There is no election coming anytime soon," he told viewers. "People may as well put that out of their mind."

Looking toward the upcoming Wednesday budget, Burnham said it would provide breathing space for people and businesses. He described the fiscal measures as offering Britain a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.