BREXIT BETRAYAL: Failing British PM Starmer Flirts With Rejoining the EU To Sabotage His Challenger Burnham’s Chances in by-Election

Peculiar situation has Starmer rooting for Reform UK against his own party.

Polls among the Labour Party sitting MPs show that Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is the clear favorite to become the new party leader (and British prime minister) in a challenge to scandal-crisis-plagued Keir Starmer.

‘It’s clear there is still a degree of regard for Keir Starmer by the membership… Keir Starmer’s fate probably rests on the outcome in Makerfield.’

Pollster Sir John Curtice reacts to a new poll among Labour members putting Andy Burnham’s popularity above Keir Starmer’s. pic.twitter.com/FqzA45fAjV

— GB News (@GBNEWS) May 19, 2026

But first, Burnham has to win the by-election in Makerfield, a constituency where Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is polling very strongly.

So, Starmer is actively undermining Burnham’s electoral chances by flirting with Britain rejoining the EU, knowing this will alienate many (perhaps most) of the voters.

Yes – Starmer is counting on Reform UK to keep his challenger out of Parliament. Crazy times.

Downing Street accused of plot to derail Andy Burnham’s by-election hopes https://t.co/oAggB8AqiG pic.twitter.com/DzpoVImWAR

— The Independent (@Independent) May 18, 2026

The Telegraph reported:

“The Prime Minister acknowledged on Monday that a debate on Brexit ‘might happen years down the line’, while a Downing Street spokesman did not rule out the prospect of a Labour pledge to rejoin the EU before the next election.”

While Burnham has expressed a desire to reverse the 2016 referendum, he is trying to distance himself from his comments, since Makerfield is a strong constituency that strongly supports Brexit.

“Sir Keir’s intervention is likely to raise eyebrows among allies of Mr. Burnham, who previously accused Mr. [Wes] Streeting of attempting to derail his campaign by bringing up Brexit before the by-election in a Leave-voting area.

Asked whether he wanted to rejoin the EU at some point, Sir Keir said: ‘This year, we have another summit with the EU where we’re going to take a really important leap forward in terms of the relationship, bring us closer to Europe’.”

Starmer privately says that he will not change his stance on the EU before the next election, but Cabinet ministers push for closer ties with Europe to win back Left-wing voters from the Green Party.

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