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Ulviyya Poladova

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UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain could remain outside the European Union or potentially rejoin the bloc if that is what the public wants.

Speaking to BBC Radio, Burnham stated that the government could consider several options for the UK’s future relationship with the EU, including maintaining the current arrangements, joining a customs union, returning to the single market or going further and seeking full EU membership.

"We can leave things as they are. If people think the status quo is what should be maintained, that is certainly one of the options," Burnham noted.

He added that the government could consider proposals for a customs union, discuss the Liberal Democrats’ calls for membership of the single market, or "go all the way" toward rejoining the EU.

Burnham has previously supported keeping the UK in the EU and criticized those who backed Brexit ahead of the 2016 referendum.

Speaking at the Labour Party’s annual conference a day earlier, Burnham said he would seek to "find a consensus" on the country’s long-term position on its relationship with the EU, although he did not specify how this would be achieved.

The UK held its referendum on EU membership on June 23, 2016. Some 51.9% of voters backed leaving the bloc, while 48.1% voted to remain. The UK formally left the EU on February 1, 2020, after several years of negotiations. The post-Brexit transition period ended on January 1, 2021.

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