France is ready to welcome the United Kingdom back into the European Union if the British themselves decide to return, said the country's Finance Minister Roland Lescure. According to LETA, citing PA Media and DPA, in an interview with the BBC, Lescure emphasized that the decision on membership should remain with the citizens of the United Kingdom. "The British people made a decision, and it is undoubtedly their one hundred percent right. If the British want to return, that decision must be made by them. But I can say one thing to them — come back at any time," the French minister stated. The topic of returning to the EU has once again become part of the British political discourse following statements by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. At the Labour Party conference, he stated that Brexit has caused the country "more harm than good" and promised to outline possible options for long-term relations with the European Union. However, there is currently no talk of preparing a new referendum. Burnham stated that he first intends to seek political consensus regarding future relations with Brussels. If public opinion indicates support for returning to the EU, a promise to hold a corresponding referendum may appear in the next election manifesto of the Labour Party. However, the Prime Minister does not rule out other options. In fact, the United Kingdom may face several scenarios — from maintaining the current relations to closer economic integration and full return to the European Union. Among the options discussed, Burnham previously mentioned a customs union, a single market, and full EU membership. Thus, for the first time in a long while, the question is no longer just about how closely London should cooperate with Brussels after Brexit, but also about the possibility of revisiting the very decision to leave. Burnham emphasizes that there is no final option yet. According to him, the United Kingdom needs to assess its own position, the European Union's stance, and understand which models of relations will be realistic. "It is impossible to avoid the question of Europe if you want to develop a convincing ten-year plan for the United Kingdom," the Prime Minister stated. He also noted that in light of current international threats, his "intuition suggests" that it is better for the United Kingdom to be closer to the EU. The current government has already officially stated its intention to deepen relations with the European Union. On Thursday, Burnham is holding talks in Berlin with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The main topics of the meeting are expected to be defense and security. The idea of closer ties between London and the European Union has also been positively received by some other European leaders. However, there is still a long way to go before a possible return of the United Kingdom to the EU: the immediate task for Burnham's government is to determine what model of relations with Brussels it wants to propose to the country for the next decade.
