Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed concerns that upcoming European Union industrial regulations, designed to bolster the bloc's manufacturing sector against Chinese competition, could inadvertently harm the British economy. During a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at a UN summit in New York, Burnham advocated for the UK to be shielded from the potential negative consequences of the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, also known as the "Made in Europe" scheme.
The EU initiative aims to prioritize companies within the bloc for public contracts and subsidies. However, Burnham emphasized that the UK should not be viewed as an economic adversary, noting that both the UK and EU face shared challenges, particularly within the steel industry. "We are making the argument that 'let's avoid collateral damage'," Burnham stated regarding the negotiations.
The proposed scheme has reportedly contributed to delays in the scheduling of a bilateral UK-EU summit, which was already postponed following the resignation of former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in July. While the EU's automotive sector has advocated for the inclusion of the UK in the scheme to maintain supply chain stability, Burnham noted that the EU has indicated that an associate membership model—similar to one recently discussed for Canada—is not currently an option for Britain.
Addressing questions regarding the UK's long-term relationship with the EU, Burnham declined to commit to a policy of rejoining the bloc in his party's next manifesto. He stated that his immediate focus remains on strengthening ties and reaching practical economic agreements. "My immediate priority is to build on the good work that Keir did in rebuilding bridges, because those bridges were broken in the early part of this decade," he said.
Source: BBC News
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