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British Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivers a speech at the Labour Party annual conference held in Liverpool, UK, on the 29th (local time). / Reuters, Yonhap

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham criticized the pitfalls of Brexit (Britain's exit from the European Union) on the 29th (local time), hinting at the possibility of pursuing a bid to rejoin the EU.

According to Reuters, Prime Minister Burnham delivered a speech at the Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool on the same day, expressing a negative view of Brexit and stating that the UK must consider various options to rebuild relations with the EU.

"Brexit has done more harm than good," Prime Minister Burnham said, citing slowed economic growth and the failure to secure immigration control as originally promised.

However, he did not put forward specific proposals at the gathering. Looking ahead to the UK-EU summit expected in November, he stated, "We will present the public with various options for our long-term relationship with our European partners and see if we can build a consensus around one of them."

The summit was originally scheduled for July 22, but was postponed following the resignation of then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer. While the revised date has not yet been finalized, the meeting is expected to take place within the year.

Later that day, Prime Minister Burnham hinted in a BBC interview that rejoining the EU could be considered as a way to reshape the UK's long-term relationship with Europe.

"We could maintain the status quo," he said. "If people feel this is the right place for us to stay, that is certainly an option."

He continued, "We could look at the customs union proposed by former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, or examine the option presented by the Liberal Democrats at their party conference to rejoin the single market, or we could even consider going all the way back."

Former Chancellor Osborne has argued that the UK should pursue a customs union with the EU, while the Liberal Democrats have urged Britain to rejoin the EU single market.

Aides noted that while Prime Minister Burnham hopes to forge a political consensus, the likelihood of the Labour Party and Reform UK agreeing on an integration proposal with the EU remains slim.

                                                                                                           Kim Hyun-min