After a decade since the Brexit referendum, the topic remains contentious, and Andy Burnham is not keen on discussing the possibility of reversing Brexit. Wes Streeting’s recent remarks calling Brexit a “catastrophic mistake” and proposing rejoining the EU couldn’t have come at a worse time for Burnham, who is campaigning in a constituency that strongly supported Brexit.

Facing a by-election in a pro-Brexit area, Burnham’s camp criticized Streeting’s comments as unhelpful, with some allies even labeling it as sabotage. Despite Burnham previously mentioning rejoining the EU, he now emphasizes the need to move forward and avoid revisiting the Brexit debate to prevent stagnation.

Burnham’s primary focus is reconnecting the Labour Party with working-class voters, and engaging in EU discussions seems counterproductive in achieving this goal. The stakes are high as Burnham competes in Makerfield, where the Reform party garnered significant support in the local elections, posing a challenge to Labour’s position.

While public sentiment across the UK leans towards rejoining the EU, current Labour leadership maintains that reversing Brexit is not a priority. Labour MP Jonathan Hinder expressed astonishment at the timing of this debate, highlighting that reopening the Brexit discussion may not align with the British public’s current priorities.