Could the UK ever rejoin the European Union?
Prime Minister blasts Kremlin for involvement in 2016 vote, but minister says meddling was "unsuccessful"
Andy Burnham has said the UK is “clear” that Russia attempted to interfere during the European Union referendum, although a minister has told LBC its efforts were unsuccessful.
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The Prime Minister and Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty have both said that Russia had attempted to meddle with the 2016 poll.
Mr Doughty told Nick Ferrari on LBC: "The security minister’s been very clear that they’ve attempted but not succeeded, in his evidence that he gave previously on this."
It comes after Mr Burnham did not rule out adding a new in-out referendum on the European Union to the next Labour manifesto, saying in his conference speech that Brexit has “done more harm than good”.
He has also pledged a major review of the UK’s relationship with the EU and said he would "consider his options," although he has conceded that another referendum would not be the right thing to do "right now".
The PM has made no secret of his regret over the UK leaving the European Union after the 2016 referendum.
During a lengthy speech in the Commons at the point of his taking office, he said about the UK's economic decline: “Political power was centralised, economic power privatised, the country de-industrialised.
"Austerity followed, hollowing out councils and depriving them of the agency to act to reverse any of this.
“And then Brexit compounded the damage, ushering in a decade of low growth and stalled regeneration. Change begins with honesty.
"Unless we are blunt about what went wrong, we won’t turn things around."
But could the United Kingdom ever rejoin the EU?
Read also: Brit living in Sweden since childhood deported as 2,500 Britons kicked out since Brexit
How could the UK rejoin the EU?
Strictly hypothetically, yes, the United Kingdom could possibly rejoin the European Union under Article 49, but it would require all member states to approve a formal application.
Britain had privileges as a member when it was in the union, such as its opt-out of the Euro and the Schengen Area, but it would not immediately, if ever, get these back upon rejoining.
The UK would also not have an application fast-tracked, and it would be forced to wait like any prospective member for approval, a politically humiliating process.
There is no necessity, however, for a referendum to enable the country to rejoin.
Will Andy Burnham hold a second referendum?
The government will take no steps towards rejoining the European Union and has quashed the idea in response to a petition launched earlier this year.
After the petition gathered more than 10,000 signatures, the government responded: "The UK will not be rejoining the EU, but this Government has reset its relationship with the EU with a new strategic partnership: A deal that is good for UK bills, borders, jobs and growth."
Andy Burnham has previously said that this will not happen. He told the BBC in May: "No, I'm not proposing that, am I? I am saying that in a context when we're looking at a 10-year plan for Britain, Britain needs to consider the options as to where we will be."
However, Europhiles have been given some optimism that another referendum could be in the future, with Mr Burnham since having not ruled this out of a future Labour manifesto.
“There are different options and I will see if we can find consensus around one, which will give us clarity about our position and the future of the continent that we live in," he said.
He added that it "wouldn't be the right thing to do right now".