Andy Burnham has declared Britain has “lost more than we’ve gained” since Brexit as he launched a fresh defense of his controversial plans to forge closer ties with the European Union. The Prime Minister delivered the blunt assessment at the Welsh Labor conference, claiming the Conservatives had negotiated a far tougher departure from the bloc than voters had expected when they backed leaving in the 2016 referendum.
Mr Burnham also accused the Tories of destroying Britain’s relationship with European leaders in the aftermath of the historic vote, making it harder for the UK to secure a favorable deal with Brussels. He told delegates at the Welsh Labor conference in Llandudno: “I don’t believe that Brexit and the deal that they got has been good enough for Britain.
“I think we’ve lost more than we’ve gained over the last 10 years. Actually, I think the Conservatives gave Britain a harsher Brexit and a harder Brexit than people thought they were getting when they voted in 2016, because they burned all of our bridges in the aftermath with the EU.”
His remarks represent one of his strongest criticisms yet of the UK’s departure from the EU and are likely to reignite the bitter debate over Britain’s future relationship with the bloc. They also come as Mr Burnham faces growing opposition to his proposed reset, which critics fear will see Britain gradually surrender control over its own laws and regulations.
The Prime Minister is preparing to sign a major agreement with Brussels covering food and farming, with the deal expected to require Britain to follow hundreds of EU agricultural rules despite no longer having a say in how they are made. Mr Burnham insisted the arrangement would benefit British businesses, reduce red tape for exporters and help bring down the cost of food.
He said: “Why am I doing that? Because I want to help Welsh businesses and remove some of the red tape that food exporters face.
“More than anything, I am trying to get prices down – food prices down. And if we get the right deal, that is what we will do, as well as reduce costs for businesses.”
He claimed the agreement could also add up to 0.4% to Britain’s GDP, asking delegates: “Why wouldn’t I do that as Prime Minister, why wouldn’t I lead in that way?”
However, his intervention comes just a day after the launch of a new campaign group determined to prevent Britain from joining the EU.
Stay Out, chaired by Oliver Lewis, a former deputy Brexit negotiator, claims returning to the bloc would cost British taxpayers £39.3billion a year, equivalent to £750million every week.
The group has received backing from Lord Gove, the former Conservative Cabinet minister and Vote Leave chairman, who warned that joining would mean handing back control of Britain’s laws, borders, money and trade.
He said: “Reopening this question would just commit the country to another decade of fractious negotiations and a return to the divisions we have spent years putting behind us.”
The group’s launch video also warns that joining would bring back freedom of movement, raising the prospect of increased immigration from across Europe.
Its campaign directly challenges Mr Burnham’s approach, accusing him of breaking a promise made during the Makerfield by-election not to reopen the Brexit debate.
The Telegraph reported that Mr Burnham is expected to defend his approach further in a speech at the Mansion House on Monday, before traveling to Brussels on Friday to sign the food and farming agreement.
The Prime Minister has previously called for an “honest discussion” about Britain’s relationship with the EU and has refused to rule out a second referendum as part of a wider review of relations with Brussels.
His latest comments will do little to reassure Brexit supporters who fear the government’s reset is the first step towards reversing the result of the referendum.