UK PM Burnham says Tory Brexit was harder than referendum promise
Briefing by News4U · First published
In a cabinet letter with Guardian stamp Wed 28 Oct 2026 12.45 EDT, i.e. reported at sixteen-forty-five UTC, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the Conservative Brexit deal was not good enough for Britain and was a harder Brexit than promised in the 2016 referendum, warning ministers not to lobby on future EU options before a review.
In remarks with Guardian stamp Wed 28 Oct 2026 12.45 EDT, i.e. reported at sixteen-forty-five UTC, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham told a Wednesday cabinet meeting that the current Brexit deal was a bad one, then wrote to frontbenchers that it had been harder than promised at the EU referendum. [1]
In the letter he said the Conservative deal was not good enough for Britain, had led to a decade of low growth, more red tape for businesses and weaker immigration control, and was a harder Brexit than promised in the 2016 referendum. [1]
Burnham warned ministers not to advocate specific EU-relationship options before a review of longer-term choices, saying fundamental changes would be for the public to decide and for the next parliament under cabinet collective responsibility. [1]
Sources
- Tory Brexit was ‘harder’ than promised in EU referendum, says Andy Burnham
The Guardian · · Full text