French minister invites UK to ‘come all the way back’ to EU as Burnham reviews Brexit ties

Lescure’s remarks followed Burnham’s Labour conference speech, in which he pledged that the government would explore closer ties with the EU at a summit later this year. In subsequent interviews, Burnham said Brexit had caused “more harm than good” and set out options that included keeping current arrangements, seeking a customs union, returning to the single market, or going “all the way” to full membership. He said ministers would examine “what is doable” and the “pros and cons” of each option.

Lescure said he wanted Britain back in the union to face emerging global threats together. He also responded to Burnham’s comments that EU rules to help European manufacturers would damage the UK. “Come back, and you’ll be at the table, and we discuss all these things together,” Lescure said. British government sources had warned days earlier that the “EU reset” summit would be delayed again unless the bloc agreed to discuss legislation that could lock British business out of parts of EU industry.

Burnham travelled to Germany for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose government has been supportive of Burnham’s suggestion that the UK could explore closer links with the EU. The two are expected to agree on a deal for closer security cooperation against cyber-attacks on European countries and will also discuss UK-EU relations. In Berlin, Burnham was due to hold meetings on a new joint security partnership to counter sabotage, cyber-attacks and other hybrid threats, as well as support for Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and disruption to global trade routes. He was expected to speak later in the afternoon.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage claimed Burnham had given him “the biggest boost in my career” by reviving the Brexit debate, which Farage said had reopened a “huge flank” for his party. Dismissing polls showing that as much as 59% of the public favoured rejoining the EU, Farage said: “Of course they do, until you tell them it’ll cost 25bn quid a year, until you tell him it’ll mean joining Schengen, until he tells them it will mean actually having to recommit to joining the euro.”

In separate UK political developments, polls opened in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection, the former seat of Keir Starmer. Green party leader Zack Polanski is hoping to break Labour’s longstanding grip in the north London constituency, though Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali is projected to retain the seat. Starmer won the seat by 11,500 votes in 2024, after Labour majorities of nearly 28,000 in 2019 and more than 30,500 in 2017.

Britain’s diplomatic row with Israel escalated over the UK’s consular presence in East Jerusalem. Israel said the British consulate had “ceased to function” with 20 diplomats due to leave, but Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the building would remain open and be renamed the “UK Mission.”