MADRID, Spain – October 1, 2026 UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s remarks about the possibility of the UK rejoining the European Union have sparked a positive response from French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
Speaking in Madrid, Sanchez described Brexit as a ‘huge loss’ for the UK population and Europe but affirmed that Spain would ‘certainly welcome’ a returned Britain and ‘open its arms once again to a brotherly people with whom Spain has such good relations in every sphere.’ Burnham outlined three potential paths for UK-EU relations in a summit scheduled for later in 2026: rejoining the EU, rejoining the single market, or entering a customs union.
The comments came a day after Burnham vowed to set out a new relationship with the bloc. European officials, however, have remained cautious, noting that it is up to the UK to demonstrate commitment through concrete action. Preparations were already underway for an EU-UK summit in Brussels in November, which had been postponed from July after the resignation of former Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The summit is expected to focus on linking EU and UK carbon markets, agreeing on food and agriculture trade, and establishing a youth mobility programme for travel and work. Relations between the UK and EU have improved since the election of a Labour government in Britain in 2024, but tensions persist over the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, which prioritises local sources in public investment decisions and has drawn criticism from allies including the UK, Japan, and Switzerland.
Earlier in 2026, the UK had sought to participate in EU committees on farming and food standards, carbon and electricity markets, but the Commission reiterated that the UK had no right to such participation under its current arrangement, with several member states opposing UK involvement in EU decision-making processes.
The EU has been cautious about the UK’s intentions, with Balazs Ujvari, a spokesperson for the European Commission, stating that ‘it is for the UK government to set out how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU going forward.’ The UK’s potential return to the EU, if it occurs, would mark a significant shift in the political landscape of Europe.
