The UK made an historic decision in 2016 to leave the European Union, but the debate about Brexit has not ended. Some people never accepted the decision at the time.

However, some senior politicians are now talking openly about rejoining the EU. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who hopes to become Labour leader, says the UK should eventually rejoin. Andy Burnham, another possible candidate for No 10, previously said he hoped the UK would rejoin one day, but more recently said that is not a priority for now.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants closer links with the EU as part of a "reset". He has said he does not want to rejoin the EU. However, recently, he has declined to rule out changing this policy after a future general election.

Earlier this week, Mr Burnham warned against getting stuck in a "permanent rut" of Brexit arguments.

The Greater Manchester Mayor, who hopes to return to Westminster in the Makerfield by-election, said Brexit had been "damaging" but "the last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments".

In a speech at a conference in Leeds, he said: "My view is that Brexit has been damaging, but I also believe the last thing we should do right now is re-run those arguments.

"Britain will be stuck in a permanent rut if we're just constantly arguing and people are pulling away from each other.

"It is time, surely, isn't it, to bring people back together, to focus on what we've got in common, to get the growth coming to all places, so it's felt there."

At a fringe event at the Labour conference in September 2025, he said his "long-term" goal would be to seek to return to the EU.

"People prosper more when they're part of unions," he told the audience.

Mr Streeting, who has said he will stand in any contest to replace Sir Keir, branded Brexit a "catastrophic mistake" over the weekend.

"We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain's future lies with Europe - and one day back in the European Union," he said.