The Conservatives have vowed to reverse any steps towards closer EU ties taken by Andy Burnham, as Labour figures press for a fresh debate over Brexit.
Alex Burghart, the Tory deputy leader, said the Government’s proposed “reset” with Brussels was “really disastrous” and amounted to “giving everything away”.
Mr Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, has backed the UK becoming an EU member again, after reopening the question during a speech at Labour’s conference last week. He had previously insisted, while attempting to oust Sir Keir Starmer, that he would not pursue the idea.
Pro-European Labour figures have welcomed the shift. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has called for closer ties immediately, while Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, and Mr Burnham are due to hold a summit later this year.
The proposed discussions have raised concerns that Brussels could seek concessions on free movement, financial contributions and access to British fishing waters in return for removing trade barriers.
Speaking as the Conservative conference opened in Birmingham, Mr Burghart said the Government had already offered too much in its negotiations with the EU.
“If one looks at what Starmer’s government did at the Lancaster House summit in May 2025, they opened their negotiations with the EU by giving everything away,” he told the Sunday Times.
Asked whether the Conservatives would undo Labour’s measures, Mr Burghart replied: “Oh yeah, absolutely. I think the reset is really disastrous, actually.”
He said Labour had proposed adopting EU rules, paying for the privilege, accepting the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and giving access to British fishing waters for 12 years. “It was extraordinary. And in return, they got almost nothing,” he added.
Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon said Mr Burnham’s position could also strengthen the case for another Scottish independence referendum.
Appearing on Sky News, Ms Sturgeon argued that if the decision to leave the EU could be reconsidered after a decade, Scotland’s decision could be revisited too. “You can’t pick and choose when democracy applies,” she said.
Justice Secretary Alex Norris rejected the comparison, saying the UK’s relationship with Europe was a separate issue from the future of the Union.
“One of those questions is about our forward-looking engagement with our European partners to get the best for the country,” he said. “That’s different to the question of the union.”
Mr Norris added that the Prime Minister believed in the Union and would safeguard it, saying he recalled the independence vote being described as “a generational debate” and that “the answer was the answer”.
