Move to rejoin EU among options for UK, says Burnham

Andy Burnham has suggested rejoining the EU is among options the government could examine to reshape the UK's long-term relationship with Europe.

The prime minister told the BBC the current Brexit settlement had caused "more harm than good" and he wanted to look at "what is doable" to repair relations.

It comes after he pledged in his Labour conference speech on Tuesday to explore closer ties with the bloc at a delayed summit later this year.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Burnham said he did not want to leave the question of the EU relationship "hanging" and he wanted to be clear on "where we want Britain to go in the next decade".

Asked whether he wanted the UK to rejoin the EU, he replied that he wanted to "look at the options".

He added he had previously advocated such a move within his lifetime, whilst acknowledging it was "not necessarily the case that that is now".

"We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay," he told the programme.

"We could look at what [former Chancellor] 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."

"So there are clearly options that need to be considered, and we have to look at what is doable and what would be the pros and cons of each," he added.