Burnham in Dublin as UK Eyes EU “Prize” – and Cameron Warns Against Rejoin Debate

Andy Burnham is in Dublin today for a summit of European leaders, a week before he signs a new “reset” deal with the EU in Brussels – and as David Cameron warns him against reopening the debate about rejoining. The Prime Minister has told his cabinet there could be a “significant prize” next week if the UK secures practical agreements with the EU.

What is the Dublin summit?

The European Political Community brings together leaders from across Europe, inside and outside the EU, twice a year. Today’s meeting at the Convention Centre Dublin is chaired by the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, during Ireland’s presidency of the EU, and is expected to focus on Ukraine. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in the city, which is under Ireland’s biggest ever security operation.

What is the “prize” Burnham is talking about?

Burnham will meet the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council president António Costa at a summit in Brussels on 20 November, where the two sides are expected to sign a new set of agreements.

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Three deals are expected: cutting red tape on food exports, linking the UK and EU carbon trading schemes, and a youth experience scheme. A draft of the youth scheme would let young people from the UK and the EU live in each other’s countries for up to three years to work, study or travel, though the wording could still change.

Will the UK rejoin the EU?

Not any time soon. Burnham has told MPs he does not want to rejoin the single market “today”, but he has not ruled it out in the future, and he has raised the possibility that Britain could one day apply to rejoin. He has promised to set out options for the future relationship around next week’s summit.

Former prime minister David Cameron, who called the 2016 referendum, has warned against a “decade-long debate about whether we should be in or out”, saying talks on rejoining would be “very long and painful”.

There is still no deal on university tuition fees. The EU wants its students to pay the same fees as UK students at British universities instead of the higher international rate.

Photo: Metro Centric / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Sources: Prime Minister’s Office, AFP, House of Commons.