Tony Blair has offered advice to Andy Burnham regarding rejoining the EU, but whether Burnham should follow it remains the central question raised by a recent column.
The piece, written by Tom Baldwin for Business | The Guardian, notes that Blair has been consulted by several Labour leaders who succeeded him, yet suggests Burnham may prefer to distance himself from the New Labour era altogether. The article does not quote Blair or Burnham directly.
KEY FACTS
- Tony Blair has given advice to Andy Burnham on EU rejoining.
- The advice comes from a column by Tom Baldwin in Business | The Guardian.
- Blair was consulted by multiple Labour leaders after his premiership.
- Burnham previously sought Blair’s counsel in a 2010 meeting while in Gordon Brown’s cabinet.
- Burnham now seeks to distance himself from Blair ahead of Labour’s party conference in Liverpool.
BACKGROUND: HOW DID WE GET HERE?
The column references a 2010 encounter when Burnham, then a junior cabinet minister under Gordon Brown, met secretly with Blair to discuss a potential Labour leadership bid. At the time, Burnham was cautious about Brown learning of his ambitions or his choice of adviser. Since then, Burnham has positioned his return to frontline politics as a personal transformation, emphasizing his time outside Westminster as a period of redemption.
Blair’s influence within Labour has long been contentious. Former leaders including Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband, Jeremy Corbyn and Keir Starmer all attempted to redefine the party’s identity separate from Blairism. Despite this, Blair continues to command attention on major policy questions such as Brexit and European integration.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Labor’s annual conference in Liverpool provides a high-profile stage where questions of European policy and party direction are likely to surface. The article does not specify whether Burnham plans to address EU rejoining during the event, nor does it confirm any formal response from Blair or his office. Political observers will watch whether Burnham signals alignment with Blair’s views or maintains distance.
The columnist frames the dynamic as emblematic of an ongoing tension within Labour between pragmatic centrism rooted in Blair-era policies and a newer generation of leadership seeking independence from that legacy. No official statements from either figure were included in the source material.
WHAT WE KNOW — AND WHAT WE DON’T
Verified by the source:
- The column was authored by Tom Baldwin.
- It appeared in Business | The Guardian.
- It mentions a 2010 meeting between Blair and Burnham.
- It states that Burnham wants to keep Blair at arm’s length.
- It references Labour’s upcoming conference in Liverpool.
Still unconfirmed:
- Direct quotes from Blair or Burnham regarding EU rejoining.
- Whether Burnham will speak on the issue at the conference.
- Blair’s current position on Labour’s EU policy beyond the column’s framing.
- Any official response from either party to the article.
WHY IT MATTERS
The relationship between Blair and current Labour figures reflects a broader debate over the party’s direction on Europe. As public opinion shifts and Brexit’s effects evolve, Labour’s stance on EU membership remains a defining issue with implications for electoral strategy and policy direction. How Burnham navigates this history may signal future priorities.
WHAT TO WATCH
Labour’s conference in Liverpool may offer further clarity on whether Burnham aligns with Blair’s views on Europe. No official responses have been confirmed at the time of publication.