France and Spain Support UK's Potential Rejoining of EU

During a visit to Spain, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed that it would be "good news" if the United Kingdom moves towards rejoining the European Union. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also welcomed the idea. Macron, while meeting with Sanchez in Madrid, reacted positively to the notion of a UK rejoin, stating in English, "Welcome back." He added, "If the British want to come back and if the prime minister is moving in that direction, I think that is very good news both for his country and for Europeans." However, Macron emphasized that the UK cannot adopt an a la carte approach to its relationship with the EU while remaining outside the bloc, stating, "You cannot choose between the freedoms of the union and decide to take what suits us and not the rest." Sanchez remarked that the UK's departure from the EU, resulting from a 2016 referendum, is "a huge loss, both for the British population and for the whole European project," and indicated that Spain would welcome the UK back. European Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari noted that the UK is a valued partner of the EU and that it is up to the UK government to determine how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU. UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, in an interview with the BBC, mentioned that Britain should consider various options regarding its relationship with the EU, including the possibility of rejoining the EU's single market or a customs union. Burnham stated that "Brexit has done more harm than good" and indicated he would present different options for the UK-EU relationship ahead of a summit in November. While recent surveys suggest that a majority of Britons support rejoining the EU, the adoption of the Euro or contributions to the EU budget could provoke significant opposition. Currently, Burnham is committed to the Labour Party's 2024 manifesto, which rules out rejoining the EU and returning to the EU single market, but he may advocate for a closer relationship with the EU in the next general election, scheduled for no later than August 2029.