Burnham seals German defence pact while pushing closer EU ties

Andy Burnham met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Thursday and declared that the UK and Germany will face threats together as he ratified a defence treaty and lined up fresh security partnerships.

On his first official European trip outside Ukraine, Burnham was greeted with military honours and spoke at the Federal Chancellery. He told reporters both countries face hybrid attacks on a regular basis and it makes sense to take them on together. The pair formally ratified the 2025 Kensington Treaty, committing them to tackle hostile activity. Burnham said the treaty would improve security in Europe and help grow the economy and living standards.

He added that the UK government would now seek to progress Germany joining Gcap, the Global Combat Air Programme led by Italy, Japan and the UK to develop a next-generation fighter aircraft. Partnerships on quantum technology and space were also announced, with Burnham aiming to host a joint meeting of the UK and German cabinets next year. The talks follow warnings from intelligence services of rising threats, including Germany’s accusation that Russia launched a drone fitted with explosives at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Burnham said the UK and Germany were joining forces to find, expose and disrupt threats. A German government spokesman said any future in-out referendum would be primarily a question for Britain, though Berlin supports stronger ties between the UK and the EU.

Meanwhile French finance minister Roland Lescure invited Britain to come all the way back to the European Union in an interview with the BBC. Ahead of a UK-EU summit next month, Burnham said he was very committed to securing deeper cooperation and to see if the UK can be brought closer to Europe. He told reporters a closer relationship served growth and the fight against irregular migration, having mentioned in recent weeks the prospect of eventually rejoining the bloc.