Burnham wants 'Made in Europe' plan to involve Britain

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would argue for Britain to be a "trusted partner" to the European Union's "Made in Europe" scheme, saying they should not be pitted as enemies on a policy that ‌has the potential to hammer the UK's car industry. The Made in Europe policy aims to curb reliance on Chinese components by prioritising European-made goods – a worry for the British auto industry which feeds parts into EU supply chains and sells cars across the bloc.

Travelling to New York for his first United Nations General Assembly as prime minister, ‌Burnham told reporters he believed there was support for Britain to have access to the scheme. "Europe's argument is not with us. We both suffer the ‌same effects as other countries, particularly steel," he said on the flight to New York on Monday, where he is expected to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Britain has argued that the "Made in Europe" plan could impact supply chains and create unnecessary trade barriers between it and some member countries, with Burnham urging the two sides to avoid further "collateral damage." He is also anxious not to ⁠miss out ​on another scheme after talks to join ⁠the EU's SAFE defence fund broke down.

"We are making the argument: we are not your enemies here... we are not the problem," Burnham said of the scheme. "Let's work towards a trusted partner approach ⁠that doesn't cause a problem where there wasn't a problem and where we have common cause." CAR TRADE WORTH €80 BILLION

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on Tuesday said that Britain's ​exclusion from the EU's proposed "Made in Europe" provisions would put its automotive industry in jeopardy and threaten its contribution to the EU's economy. The SMMT ⁠said that the UK-EU trading relationship in the sector was worth €80 billion a year, and interdependence in supply chains meant that carmakers in Europe would also be damaged if Britain was excluded from the policy.

SMMT ⁠Chief ​Executive Mike Hawes said it would be an own goal: "weakening competitiveness, reducing scale and limiting consumer choice". Britain's uncertain status within the scheme is just the latest area of contention since it voted to quit the EU in 2016. For those who backed the departure, a Britain outside the EU would be free to trade ⁠with faster growing countries around the world.

But since then, the advance of China, the unpredictability of Donald Trump's US and rapid technological innovation have put that decision ⁠into sharper relief. Burnham has said he wants ⁠to go further and faster on deepening relations with the EU, which improved under predecessor Keir Starmer following years of distrust.

Burnham said he was focussed on a forthcoming UK-EU summit after it was delayed by Britain's change in leader in ‌July, adding that he hoped ‌it would still take place this year.