Burnham declines to rule out EU rejoin pledge in manifesto

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declined to rule out including a pledge for Britain to rejoin the European Union in Labour's next election manifesto, saying the question is for another day while his immediate priority is a UK-EU summit hoped to take place later this year. Speaking to journalists on his flight to New York on Monday for the United Nations General Assembly, Burnham was asked directly whether he could rule out a reversal of Brexit appearing in the next Labour manifesto. "Our focus at the moment is on a UK-EU summit which we hope will take place later this year," he said. "My immediate priority is to build on the good work that Keir did in rebuilding bridges." He added that the summit's substance, including EU requests around youth mobility, would be the focus, and that other issues "are for another day." Burnham, who replaced Keir Starmer as prime minister, said he wants to go to the next level in reaching practical agreement with the EU that would boost the British economy.