German MEP Bernd Lange stated in a recent interview that the United Kingdom could potentially rejoin the European Union within months by adopting a "Switzerland plus" agreement. The proposal suggests a model where the U.K. would gain access to the European single market without obtaining full political membership, similar to the existing arrangement between the EU and Switzerland.
Lange, who participated in the initial Brexit negotiations, told The Guardian that while he prefers the U.K. to be fully engaged in political decision-making, a step-by-step approach is possible. This development follows an announcement by Prime Minister Andy Burnham at the Labour Party annual conference in September 2026, where he indicated the government would explore options for closer ties with the bloc.
Under the current Swiss model, Switzerland is not an EU member state but maintains access to the single market in exchange for two primary conditions. It must accept the free movement of people and pay an annual contribution of €375 million (£317 million) into the EU’s economic and cohesion funds. Lange noted that a "Switzerland plus" model for the U.K. would involve some level of engagement beyond the standard Swiss framework but would fall short of full membership.
Financially, the scale of such a deal would involve a significant budgetary commitment. Based on the Swiss figure of €375 million per year, the U.K. would be required to pay hundreds of millions of pounds annually into EU funds. While the specific per-household cost for a U.K. version of this deal has not been calculated, the Swiss payment serves as a baseline for the cost of market access. These payments would likely be drawn from general taxation, affecting the national budget and potentially influencing funding levels for domestic programs.
What happens next depends on upcoming diplomatic meetings. On Monday, October 12, 2026, the Prime Minister informed Parliament that he will attend a U.K.-EU summit in Brussels in November 2026. This summit is intended to be a "Brexit reset" focusing on economic growth, immigration, and security. While the Prime Minister suggested that re-entry into the EU could be included in the next Labour election manifesto, no formal timeline for a referendum or a specific legislative vote has been established. Currently, polling analyzed by Sir John Curtice indicates support for rejoining the EU is at 61 percent.