UK's EU Comeback? Leo Varadkar Says Rejoining Is Like 'Going Back to Your Old Job'

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has alluded to the potential of the UK rejoining the EU, sparking widespread speculation about what that could mean for Britain, Ireland, and the future of the EU relationship.

Former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined Ciara Doherty on The Pat Kenny Show to share his opinions on the UK potentially rejoining the EU.

Burnham's Comments Spark Renewed Debate

Prime Minister Andy Burnham spoke to the BBC's Chris Mason about potential plans to hold another referendum. When asked specifically about it being included in a future Labour manifesto, he replied: "Yes, things are possible. I think where we are isn't good enough."

"It's Like Leaving a Job and Then Going Back to It"

When it was pointed out that if the UK's return is made too easy, it might encourage other countries to give their own Brexit a go, Varadkar agreed this is a "risk".

He explained: "That's a genuine risk. Like one of the reasons why the treaties made it so hard to leave was so that countries wouldn't leave. And one of the reasons why the UK could never get a good deal would be because if they did get a good deal, then everybody else would seek one too."

He also highlighted one of the interesting effects of Brexit: the nationalist parties of the far right and far left that had previously advocated their country leaving have "kind of dropped that."

"There's a risk if it's too easy to rejoin, that there's a risk that countries might take a chance on it. But I think in balance, the value of having the UK back in is such a positive for all of us," he said.

"I think maybe it can have a demonstration effect that a country left and went through all that fuss and now has to go through all the fuss of coming back. It's like leaving a job and then going back to it, you know?"

How Could a UK Return Work?

Varadkar suggested the UK could signal that it wants to come back and wants a new partnership — and the response from key EU members has been encouraging.

"Certainly from Spain, from Germany and to a lesser extent from France, the response has been very positive," he said.

However, the French have pointed out — as Macron very correctly noted — that there can't be cherry picking: "You can't just pick the good bits of membership and not the obligations."

Despite this, Varadkar believes it would be possible to construct something that would work for the UK and might even help to light a fire under the EU itself, since there hasn't been significant change to how the EU works since the Lisbon Treaty.

"We don't need another referendum or anything, but there are changes that could be made to reform the EU, to make it better. And this might be the opportunity to do it," he added.

Ireland's EU Presidency Prepares the Ground

Minister Thomas Byrne, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, was asked whether he and the EU are ready to "welcome the UK back with open arms." He said there were two answers to that question: one as Ireland, and the other as the Irish Presidency of the European Union.

"I have to be very, very careful with anything I say because, obviously, I have to represent all of the member states," he explained.

But he confirmed there is a process in the coming weeks to get a summit achieved and agreement on specific things that will benefit Great Britain, Ireland, and the EU, including:

• Import and export of food and plant products
• The emissions trading scheme
• The youth experience scheme

"That's real work that we're doing in the presidency at the moment. Probably on the 1st of January, I can answer that other question with a straight face when we're finished at the presidency," he said.

"But as presidency, we're really preparing the ground for some of this work that will actually make a difference."