Burnham tells MPs it would be a ‘dereliction of duty’ not to seek new deal with EU

THE “status quo is not good enough” for Britain, Andy Burnham told the Commons today as the Prime Minister confirmed he would seek a close relationship with the European Union. Mr Burnham confirmed that the UK-EU summit will take place on November 20 after being postponed due to his predecessor’s resignation. The meeting will be held in Brussels, the European Council said. Mr Burnham said the British public will be the “boss” at every stage of renegotiating Britain’s relationship with the European Union, telling MPs: “If we are serious about promoting growth, controlling immigration, upholding our values and security, it is a conversation we must have. “Sticking with the status quo is not good enough for Britain. Worse, it would be a major dereliction of duty to turn away. “We need to take a calm, clear-eyed, rational look at the world as it is today to consider what is best for our country. “Our immediate priority is securing a successful outcome at the summit, and I believe we should then set up a serious dialogue about the different options for our relationship in the long-term. “At every stage, the British public will be the boss, and I am clear that public opinion currently supports a pragmatic approach like the one I am suggesting.” Mr Burnham said that the upcoming summit “presents an opportunity to make progress on two crucial issues: boosting UK growth and controlling illegal immigration.” But Communist Party of Britain general secretary Alex Gordon said the announcement was “Burnham’s opening gambit to satisfy the British Establishment’s long-held desire to overturn the 2016 referendum result and rejoin the EU.” He told the Star: “The unproven Prime Minister is making a divisive, regressive move, cloaked in economic and geopolitical scaremongering. “It is a demolition job on democracy which is doomed to fail. “The militarisation of the EU and the ever-growing powers held by the unaccountable European Commission undermine national parliaments. “The British working class will not forfeit their hard-won sovereign rights.” Earlier, Downing Street said that Mr Burnham said that he accepts the results of the Brexit referendum, despite government claims that there was evidence of Russian interference attempts. The PMs official spokesman said: “Given everything we know about Russia, it is inconceivable they did not seek to use the referendum to their benefit. “But … we do not believe they have succeeded.”