𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Andy Burnham’s decision to re-open old wounds around Brexit will go down in history as one of the dumbest decisions any Prime Minister has ever taken. Labour MPs are increasingly nervous, and there are reports of open warfare within the Cabinet. One Minister is reported to have asked: “Why … have you opened this can of worms?”

The Prime Minister announced his plan at Labour’s annual conference, when he said he would consult the British people about a new long-term relationship with the EU.

In later briefings to journalists from his staff, it became clear that this new relationship could stretch to fully re-joining the EU – which Mr Burnham has said he supports, although he’s also conceded that it could only happen if British voters actually supported the idea.

But it took a while for all of this to sink in. There’s a small group of fanatics who want nothing more than to start arguing about Brexit all over again. In fact, some of them, such as former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, never stopped.

But most people remember the Brexit arguments with horror. And that includes Labour MPs.

All the talk of a “meaningful vote”, a possible second referendum, late-night sittings of the House of Commons – it was a dreadful period for politicians and for the UK. We looked to the rest of the world like we had no idea what we were doing.

Boris Johnson won a huge election victory in 2019 with the slogan “get Brexit done”.

Does this mean that voters were massively supportive of Brexit? Well, some were. But the slogan worked because pretty much the entire nation wanted to get Brexit done and over with. We wanted to put the arguments to bed and move on to other things. Even remainers felt that way.

Andy Burnham often sounds like he wants to return the UK back to the 1970s, when the unions ruled the roost and Margaret Thatcher wasn’t yet in power.

But what’s almost as bad is his plan to take us back to 2017 – when poor old Theresa May, as Prime Minister, did the best she could to lead a nation, and a Parliament, torn in two by Brexit disagreements.

There are some signs that the Prime Minister has seen sense. He may be backtracking on his plan to reverse Brexit.

It would be a humiliating u-turn, but it would still be better than the alternative. The last thing the British public wants is another long, angry and boring row about Europe.