Reynolds denies split with Burnham over closer EU ties
The business secretary had previously warned that revisiting Brexit questions would create uncertainty for British companies.
UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on 27 October that he supported Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s push for closer relations with the EU, despite having warned a month earlier about the uncertainty that renewed Brexit debates could create for businesses.
Asked whether Burnham’s focus on Europe was contributing to that uncertainty, Reynolds said he did not disagree with the prime minister. He defended Labour’s manifesto position on improving trade relations with other countries and said the government had made progress.
At Labour’s conference, Reynolds had cautioned that rejoining the EU customs union would require alignment across a range of regulatory matters. Burnham has since raised that option. Reynolds now said questions about Britain’s relationship with the EU could not be avoided over the next ten years, while stressing his desire to minimise uncertainty for companies.
Burnham is scheduled to attend a UK-EU summit in Brussels on 20 November to address problems with the existing Brexit arrangements. Broader questions about Britain’s relationship with the bloc are not expected to be discussed.
