Andy Burnham faces fresh Brexit pressure as EU return price tag reaches £750 million a week

A new report has put a hefty figure on what Britain might pay if it ever rejoined the European Union, adding to the debate surrounding Andy Burnham’s plans for the country’s future relationship with Brussels. The campaign group Stay Out says annual payments could reach £39.3 billion, or around £756 million a week. Its estimate includes the EU’s enlarged budget and new environmental levies, while also assuming that Britain would not regain the rebate negotiated by Margaret Thatcher. The weekly figure is more than twice the £350 million sum that became a flashpoint during the 2016 referendum campaign. Former Vote Leave chief Michael Gove backed the findings. He argued that rejoining would mean giving up control in areas including laws, borders, money and trade, while leaving the UK with a larger bill than before. Gove also said that the money would be better used to address household costs, and warned that reopening the membership question could lead to years of divisive negotiations. The report arrives as questions grow about Burnham’s intentions. The prime minister has described an upcoming UK-EU summit as a possible starting point for a “national conversation” about future ties, while suggesting Britain could eventually go much further. Downing Street, however, has said there is no timetable for setting out possible next steps. At a meeting of European leaders in Dublin, Burnham said the immediate focus was a food and farming agreement and that Cabinet would decide what, if anything, should follow. The proposed reset, first negotiated by Keir Starmer, would reduce post-Brexit checks on British food exports. In return, the UK would align its food and farming rules with EU regulations as they are adopted. A Downing Street spokesperson said the government believes closer cooperation with the EU is in Britain’s interests.