The Observer - No 12 - October 4, 2026

Oct 4, 2026

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A single issue of The Observer (No 12, Sunday 4 October 2026) focused on Brexit and Europe, featuring commentary on Andy Burnham’s vision and his speech, including arguments for rejoining the EU and the potential historical impact of his stance. The issue highlights arts and culture benefits with subscription offers, quotes and analysis sections, and additional distinct pieces such as George Orwell-related framing and a separate feature titled “The lesson of Christa Pike” discussing a botched execution.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryStory & Novel

FormatPDF

Pages168

Reading Time4 h 19 min

AccessFree to download

ANDY BURNHAM’S VISION

The road back from Brexit

The enemy of nonsense – George Orwell, The Observer

Road to joy

The lesson of Christa Pike

There is a solution to the horrifying spectacle of a botched execution

•• From £[1.15 for subscribers](1.15 for subscribers Sunday 4 October 2026 | www.observer.co.uk | No 12)[ Sunday 4 October 2026 | www.observer.co.uk](1.15 for subscribers Sunday 4 October 2026 | www.observer.co.uk | No 12)[ |](1.15 for subscribers Sunday 4 October 2026 | www.observer.co.uk | No 12)[ No 12](1.15 for subscribers Sunday 4 October 2026 | www.observer.co.uk | No 12),252 | £5.00 (IR €5.50) Free book when you subscribe Plus over £800 worth of arts and culture benefits See inside for details Established 1791 ANDY BURNHAM’S VISION The road back from Brexit ‘Nobody was expecting this.’How the primeminister astonished his closest colleagues on Europe by Rachel Sylvester Plus, The Observer view ‘His opening to Europe has the potential tobe historic’ | | | | [observer.co.uk](observer.co.uk)
04.10.26 | | 3 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ‘The enemy of nonsense’ – George Orwell, The Observer | | | | | | | Road to joy
Andy Burnham’s speech on Brexit and Europe could be historic, offering a chance to make the positive case for EU membership that was missed in 2016
| | | | | | | H
ope is in the air, because finally a prime minister has been honest about Brexit For years now, a clear majority of British voters
have been saying Brexit was a mistake. At last, politics is catching up. | | far more likely to attract the attention of EU heads of government, as Macron and Sánchez have shown. Incremental resets like those sought by Starmer sit atthe bottom of the European Commission’s to-do list and anyway leave the UK a rule-taker.
This, then, is an opportunity to make the positive case for EU membership that neither David Cameron nor Jeremy Corbyn made in 2016. It rests on benefits and shared priorities: the benefits of frictionless trade with 500 million people, deeper food and energy security, targeted urban development aid, new vistas for students and scientists (not to mention musicians) and the freedom to live andwork in 27 countries beside the UK. As for shared priorities, Europe’s inheritance from
the Second World War is a good start and it consists of peace, democracy, free marketsand the rule of law.
Reasonable people will object that the EU in 2026 is too keen on regulation and too willing to put up with low singledigit growth while the US and East Asia saddle up on AI stallions to leave the old world in their dust. The EU is obviously flawed and has always been a work in progress. Rejoining has to be a practical mission, not an ideological one. Now, as in 2016, the argument should befor membership of a reformed bloc that shelves evercloser union, accelerates the creation of a single market for financial
services and enacts all of Mario Draghi’s 2024 competitiveness agenda. That would speedup the rate the UK claws back the £100bn a year it has foregone by cutting itself
adrift but it would also make the EU richer, stronger and more confident.
Ten years is a long time. Sceptics may say the rise of the European hard right in the past decade makes rejoining less tempting. But if they look beyond Europe’s horizons they should see this as a reason to rejoin, not stay out. Reform, Restore, the AfD and France’s National Rally are of a piece with Trumpism and Putinism. The EU is the world’s best defence against the malice and misinformation on which they thrive. It needs and deserves Britain’s support as
much as Britain would benefit from membership. Ten years is long enough, too, for structural
change in the electorate and for a country to change its mind. Nearly
twice as many Brexiteers as Remainers have died since 2016, while among the newly
enfranchised Rejoiners outnumber Brexiteers by five to one.
The UK had in fact changed its
mind about Brexit well before Starmer entered Number
10, but he could not bring himself to acknowledge this or act on it. The failure of Brexit was an elephant in
Downing Street. Burnham has done the

FAQs

What is the main theme of this issue of The Observer?

The issue centers on Brexit and the case for rejoining the EU, highlighting arguments about benefits, reforms, and political timing.

How does the article describe Andy Burnham’s approach to Brexit and Europe?

It presents Burnham’s honesty and his opening to Europe as potentially historic, including a plan offering options for a new relationship with Europe.

What separate feature topic is mentioned besides Brexit coverage?

A separate section titled “The lesson of Christa Pike” discusses the horrifying spectacle of a botched execution and calls for stopping executions.

Oct 4, 2026

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