Andy Burnham says he will not try to return UK to EU

Burnham vows to have ‘relentless domestic focus’ in Makerfield in first speech since announcing byelection run Andy Burnham has said he will not try to return the UK to the EU, saying Britain would be stuck in “a permanent rut if we’re just constantly arguing”. Burnham said Labour’s offer in general to voters had “simply not been good enough”, in his most explicit comments yet that he intends to stand to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister, should he win the Makerfield byelection. “If I get to stand, a vote for me will be a vote to change Labour, because Labour needs to change if we are to regain people’s trust.” In his first major speech since announcing his byelection run, the mayor of Greater Manchester said he would have a “relentless domestic focus” in Makerfield, saying: “Let’s fix our own country. Let’s get it working again. Let’s get it back to where people want it to be.” Burnham’s EU comments came after his potential leadership rival Wes Streeting said the UK should rejoin the EU, his first big intervention since resigning as health secretary. Burnham said: “My view is that Brexit has been damaging, but I also believe the last thing we should do right now is rerun thos