Burnham Warns von der Leyen EU Industry Plan Could Hit UK Steel, 10 Years After Brexit
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 22
Burnham Warns von der Leyen EU Industry Plan Could Hit UK Steel, 10 Years After Brexit
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Sep 22
Summary
Andy Burnham said he will press Ursula von der Leyen in New York over the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act, warning its “Made in Europe” preferences could damage British manufacturing and supply chains.
The plan would prioritize EU-based companies for public contracts and subsidies as Brussels tries to curb Chinese firms, but Burnham argued Britain is not the target and should not suffer “collateral damage.”
He said the UK has support from some EU member states, especially on steel, even as tensions over the policy have reportedly further delayed a planned UK-EU summit later this year.
Speaking before his UN General Assembly address, Burnham also declined to rule out a future pledge to rejoin the EU, saying his immediate focus is practical UK-EU agreements rather than reopening the Brexit argument.
His remarks come 10 years after the Brexit vote, with Labour seeking closer economic ties to the bloc while avoiding a near-term commitment on membership.