Tories warn Burnham's EU 'pandering' will shred post-Brexit trade deals

LONDON — The architects of Britain's first post-Brexit trade deals have warned that the country's independent trade policy is under threat after Andy Burnham pledged a major review of the country's relationship with the EU. Their intervention marks the latest salvo in a political fightback against Burnham's EU policy as the Conservative Party conference gets underway in Birmingham this weekend. Burnham this week vowed to discuss a revamped relationship with Europe, including rejoining the EU's customs union, moving closer to the bloc's single market — or even pushing to outright rejoin the bloc. It marks a fundamental shift from a Labour Party that has previously ruled out all three. Customs union membership — a popular option among some members of Burnham's Cabinet — would ease trade between the U.K. and its largest trading partner, but require Britain to sacrifice the trade deals it has struck since leaving the bloc six years ago. Greg Hands, who served as trade minister four times between 2016 and 2024 under Conservative governments, said that all options presented "grave consequences for Britain's independent trade policy." "Depending exactly on what is agreed, it is likely to invalidate or make very difficult most — if not all — of those existing trade agreements, or many of those existing trade agreements," he said. Since Brexit, the U.K. has negotiated free trade deals with nations including Australia, New Zealand, Japan and — more r…