Macron and Sánchez welcome prospect of UK rejoining EU after Burnham lists options

French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on 30 September 2026 welcomed the prospect of the United Kingdom rejoining the European Union. They spoke at a joint news conference in Madrid during Macron's two-day visit to Spain.

Reacting to the idea, Macron said "Welcome back" in English. He said a UK move back toward the EU would be very good news for the UK and for Europeans. France 24 rendered this as "excellent news". The Guardian also quoted him as saying: "So, come back."

Macron said the British had helped simplify things when the UK was a member and called them "demanding partners". France 24 quoted him as saying: "Andy Burnham is right to have this boldness." He also said the UK cannot pick and choose among the EU's freedoms while staying outside the bloc.

Sánchez said Spain would welcome a UK bid to rejoin. DW quoted him as calling Brexit "a huge loss, both for the British population and for the whole European project", and as saying Spain "would applaud it and open its arms again to a brotherly people".

The remarks followed comments by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham. In his Labour Party conference speech, he said Brexit had done more harm than good. According to DW, the speech was on 29 September. On 30 September, Burnham said the UK's options include the status quo, a customs union, rejoining the single market, or going "all the way" to full membership. DW quoted him as saying: "We could stay as we are. That's definitely an option, if people think this is the right place to stay."

According to DW, Burnham remains committed to Labour's 2024 manifesto, which ruled out rejoining the EU and the single market. DW also reports that he will set out options closer to an EU-UK summit expected in November. According to The Guardian, a date is expected to be announced soon.

A European Commission spokesperson, named by DW as Balazs Ujvari, said: "It is for the UK government to set out how it wishes to develop its relationship with the EU going forward. We remain open to engaging on the options it may put forward."

What is disputed

The Guardian and DW quote Macron conditionally: "If the British want to come back and if the prime minister is moving in that direction". The South China Morning Post renders it as an assertion that the prime minister is moving in that direction. Translations of his "pick and choose" remark also differ between outlets.

What each side says

According to The Guardian, unnamed EU officials welcomed the change in tone. They said a customs union would require full alignment with EU trade policy, and single market membership would mean accepting free movement of people. The Guardian quoted MEP Sandro Gozi as saying Burnham "has finally swept away the so-called red lines". The Guardian also reported that Macron earlier called Brexit "the biggest lie of the last 30 years".

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe any formal UK application to rejoin. They do not include a UK government response to the Madrid remarks.

Analysis

The comments signal openness from two major EU governments. But they do not change the formal position on either side. Burnham has framed membership as one option among several. DW reports he remains bound by a manifesto that rules out rejoining. EU officials, according to The Guardian, stress that any closer arrangement carries conditions, such as trade alignment or free movement. The November summit may show whether the UK sets out a preferred option. Other issues, such as the UK's exclusion from the EU's Made in Europe policy, could shape the talks. The reports do not indicate how other member states or UK parties view the prospect.

Traceability
Sources (5): The Guardian · Deutsche Welle · France 24 · France 24 · South China Morning Post
Independent origins: 4 · Perspectives covered: asia, west-left, west-public
Confirmed: 11 · Reported: 18 · Disputed: 2 · Confidence: high
Review: 3 AI reviewers (Claude, GPT-5.6 Sol, Kimi) · 33/33 claims backed by 2+ reviewers with verified evidence · 0 errors · needs_fix
Drafted: 2026-09-30 19:02 UTC

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.