France Urges Britain to Rejoin EU 'All the Way' as Burnham Floats Possible Brexit Referendum

French finance minister Roland Lescure has extended an open invitation to the United Kingdom to rejoin the European Union, telling the BBC that Britain should "come all the way" back if it chooses to reverse its departure from the bloc. His comments came after Prime Minister Andy Burnham suggested a second Brexit referendum could feature in a future Labour election manifesto.

Lescure, speaking in an interview with the BBC, said the decision ultimately rests with the British people but made clear that France would welcome their return. "British people decided, and that's obviously their 100% right, and if they're willing to come back, they will have to decide," he said. "But what I can tell them is: come back, anytime." The minister acknowledged that EU membership comes with certain difficulties but argued that belonging to the bloc enables members to address global challenges more effectively.

The remarks follow Burnham's suggestion last week that the UK needed to "consider the options" regarding its relationship with the EU. Those options, according to the prime minister, range from maintaining the current arrangement to rejoining the customs union or the single market, or going "all the way" back to full membership. The comments represent a significant shift in the political discourse around Brexit, which has largely been treated as settled since the UK formally left the EU in 2020.

Burnham has also raised concerns about planned EU rules designed to support European manufacturers. He warned that the "Made In Europe" scheme could damage British industry and disrupt supply chains. The proposals aim to protect EU industry from Chinese competitors by giving companies within the bloc priority for public contracts and subsidies.

The EU's car industry has called for the UK to be included in the scheme to prevent disruption to its own supply chains, given the deeply integrated nature of European automotive manufacturing. When asked about the possibility of Britain being excluded, Lescure responded: "Come back, and you'll be at the table, and we discuss all these things together." His answer underscored the trade-offs Britain faces outside the EU's decision-making structures.

The interview also turned to domestic French matters, including the student protests that have swept the country. More than 500 schools have been fully or partially shut as of Wednesday, according to reports, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets to demand better conditions in schools. Lescure described the current environment as a "tough world" for young people and said he understood their anxiety.

"Our duty as leaders is to listen to them," he said. The finance minister acknowledged the difficult choices facing the French government, particularly the challenge of balancing spending on healthcare and pensions against investment in education. "It's hard to tell young people we're not going to have the money for you because we're spending a lot on health and pensions," he admitted.

Lescure pointed to demographic pressures, noting that people are living longer and healthier lives, which increases the cost of pension and healthcare systems. "But we cannot just say 'this is fine' and then we don't have money left for the kids, so we need to rebalance that," he said. In France's upcoming budget, he plans to cut back on health spending and ask retired people to accept a below-inflation rise in their pensions next year.

While he said "not all" French schools were crumbling, he promised further investment in education and indicated a willingness to do more if necessary. The protests reflect broader discontent in France over the state of public services and the government's fiscal priorities.

The finance minister also addressed France's budget deficit, a growing concern for markets. He acknowledged that France's annual public borrowing of over 5% of gross domestic product was "alarming" and said "that's why we need to act now" to avoid being forced to take more drastic measures later. The deficit has pushed up French borrowing costs, particularly the premium the country pays over its eurozone partner Germany.

Asked about the possibility of intervention from the eurozone's central bank, Lescure said his job was to ensure France did not have to "go there." He acknowledged that it was "more expensive" to borrow but insisted there was "no issue" with issuing French debt. He also expressed confidence that his budget "will pass" a fractious French parliament, saying there were "lots of different ways" to ensure its approval.

The interview highlights the interconnected challenges facing both Britain and France as they navigate post-Brexit relations and domestic economic pressures. For the UK, the question of its future relationship with the EU remains unresolved, with Burnham's comments suggesting the debate may reopen in the coming years. For France, the government faces the difficult task of balancing fiscal discipline with public demands for investment in education and social services.

Lescure's invitation to Britain reflects a broader openness within some EU capitals to the idea of the UK returning, though the path to rejoining would be politically complex. Any move to rejoin would require negotiating new terms, potentially including opt-outs and transitional arrangements, and would likely face significant opposition within both the UK and EU member states. For now, the finance minister's message is clear: the door is open, but the decision belongs to Britain.