Burnham hopes for EU deal next month, stirs Brexit debate

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday he would press to secure a deal to improve trade relations with the EU at a summit next month and

called on parliament to back him in building closer ties with the bloc over the longer term.



Marking the return of parliament after recess, Burnham, who campaigned for Britain to stay in the EU in a 2016 referendum, confirmed a UK-EU summit would take place on November 20 after it was postponed when his predecessor Keir Starmer resigned.



Burnham said he hoped to advance a deal on aligning food standards, linking respective emissions trading systems, and enabling more young people to live, work and study abroad, saying those would all help improve economic growth.



But it was his vision for closer longer-term ties with the EU that caused some consternation in parliament, when he repeated his determination for Britain to consider options for its relationship.