Downing Street Tests Public Support for UK Rejoining the EU

Downing Street is gathering evidence and testing public opinion on rejoining the EU, with senior officials consulting pollsters and thinktanks about a potential pledge to rejoin in the next Labour manifesto.

Manifesto Scrutiny and Public Opinion Polls

Senior Downing Street officials have been reaching out to thinktanks and pollsters to test public support for the UK rejoining the EU, according to The Guardian. Aides to Andy Burnham have consulted EU experts regarding how voters would view a manifesto promise to rejoin the bloc. While some aides are eager to commit Labour to negotiating re-entry—something Burnham has stated he wants to see happen in his lifetime—others worry about reviving the political fortunes of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

The policy effort coincides with a flurry of external research. Last week, the Tony Blair Institute released a paper arguing that Burnham should seek talks with Brussels to become a member again, provided Europe relaxes regulations in technology and energy sectors. Simultaneously, the pro-EU campaign group Best for Britain published a YouGov megapoll suggesting Labour could more than double its seat total by campaigning on a rejoin platform. Over the coming weeks, the Institute for Public Policy Research and Think Labour are also scheduled to release papers examining the feasibility of re-entry.

Downing Street Tests Public Support for UK Rejoining the EU

Andy Burnham Shifts Stance at Conference

The review follows Burnham’s first conference speech as Labour leader, where he declared that Brexit has done more harm than good. On Wednesday, he explicitly clarified that the review options include going all the way back into the EU—a possibility explicitly ruled out by his predecessor, Keir Starmer.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Burnham outlined the broader spectrum under consideration: We could stay as we are. That’s definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay. We could look at what George Osborne has said about a customs union, we could look at what the Liberal Democrats said at their conference about the single market, or we could go all the way.

Political Backlash and International Reaction

The prime minister’s announcements have drawn sharp pushback from political opponents. Conservative deputy leader Alex Burghart criticized the move, stating, Labour cannot blame a democratic vote from over a decade ago for the consequences of their own economic decisions.

Conversely, the policy shift received a dramatic international welcome in Madrid on Wednesday. French President Emmanuel Macron offered public encouragement at a press conference, stating in English, Welcome back.

Internal Government Divisions and Future Outlook

Not everyone inside Downing Street wanted to start with a review. Some senior figures pushed for Burnham to use his speech to promise formal work on rejoining immediately after the next election. That plan was ultimately abandoned because the government was already bracing for political battles over the pensions triple lock, and officials wanted to avoid handing ammunition to Nigel Farage while Reform UK faces scrutiny over party donations. No 10 maintained that an immediate rejoin pledge was never part of any draft speech.

As Downing Street weighs its next steps, the prime minister is expected to use an upcoming UK-EU summit to outline the government’s long-term relationship options to the country.

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