Burnham to press EU on Made in Europe scheme

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he will press European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to keep the United Kingdom inside the European Union's Made in Europe industrial scheme when the two meet on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters travelling to the United States, Burnham argued that the UK should not bear the consequences of a policy designed to counter Chinese competition. "We are making the argument we are not your enemies here," Burnham said. "We are not the problem. Made in Europe is dealing with a different problem." He added that Europe's argument is not with Britain and that both sides face similar pressures, particularly in steel. The scheme, formally known as the Industrial Accelerator Act, would give companies based inside the EU priority access to public procurement and subsidies. It has not yet been finalised. The British government has warned that excluding UK firms could disrupt established supply chains and create additional trade barriers, with the automotive sector particularly exposed to cross-Channel links. UK officials have pursued the issue through several channels.