PM: Brexit Deal Fails to Deliver on Promises, Weakening Economy

Sixty-five percent of constituents in Makerfield voted to leave the European Union, yet Prime Minister Andy Burnham declared on Monday that the resulting deal is not good enough for Britain.

Burnham told Good Morning Britain that the departure has not unfolded as promised during the referendum campaign. He described the outcome as a harder Brexit than proposed, one that has weakened the national economy and failed to resolve the small boats crisis.

The Prime Minister argued that the UK’s ability to control its borders has diminished because the country can no longer send people back to Europe. He stated that this inability to return migrants has allowed the small boats crisis to rise, creating a different form of immigration pressure than previously existed.

When asked if he wanted Britain to rejoin the EU, Burnham said he would like to see it happen in his lifetime but refused to move ahead of the public. He emphasized that the British public must remain the bosses in determining the direction of the country.

He clarified that he is not proposing rejoining the EU during the current parliament. Instead, he said the government needs to take practical steps to make the existing arrangement work better without moving away from the red lines in the Labour manifesto.

Concerns exist among Labour MPs in northern and Midlands constituencies that reopening the Brexit debate could provide opportunities for Reform UK. Burnham acknowledged the leave vote in his own constituency but maintained that he was not rerunning the referendum. He said the people of Makerfield would decide what happens in relation to Brexit.

The Prime Minister backed the Home Secretary’s plan to require foreign workers to wait 15 years for permanent residency. He supported Shabana Mahmood’s position that settlement is a right to be earned rather than granted automatically. He also ruled out an early general election, telling the public to put that possibility out of their mind.

Looking ahead to the UK-EU summit scheduled for 20 November, Burnham expressed hope for a deal that benefits British food manufacturers, a sector he said has been hit hard by Brexit. He described the upcoming budget as offering breathing space for people and businesses, aiming to provide a little light at the end of the tunnel.