Andy Burnham cast himself as an anti-warrior Brexit as he pushed for a new direction for a Labour party dismayed at the surge in support for Reform UK.

The Mayor of Greater Manchester declared his support for reversing the result of the 2016 referendum at a Labour party conference in Liverpool which has been overshadowed by talk of his leadership ambitions.

He told a fringe meeting: “I’m going to be honest. I’m going to say it – I want to rejoin.

“I hope in my lifetime I see this country rejoining the European Union.”

Mr Burnham’s comments are likely to frustrate Sir Keir Starmer, who sought to assure Express readers during the run-up to the last election that Brexit was safe in his hands.

The Mayor argued it is time for Labour to “start calling out the disaster that Brexit has been”.

However, he admitted: “I don’t think there’s any prospect of rejoining anytime soon but I do still think you call out what’s put the country in this position.”

In a further move which is likely to make the Prime Minister see red, Mr Burnham made it clear he did not support the introduction of Digital ID cards. When asked if he backed the policy, he said: “Not now.”

He acknowledged an impression “that I am just completely out for myself, disloyal”. But he said he had worked during the summer and earlier this month to ensure the Hillsborough law was strengthened so he could recommend it to the families of those who died in the football disaster.

Mr Burnham did not hide his frustration at attacks on him within the Labour movement.

He said: “It sticks in my throat somewhat for people who have just arrived on the scene to be throwing some of the comments at me that they have done. I did everything I possibly could to make this conference a success, and I would suggest more than other people did.”

The Mayor claimed Labour activists needed a strong message to take to the doorstep ahead May’s Scottish and Welsh parliament and local government elections

Reform UK has high ambitions that Labour will lose hold of the Welsh Parliament, the Senedd – and Mr Burnham argued he should not stay quiet at this time.

“Britain could take a very big stride towards that darker, more divided future in a few months time,” he said.

Mr Burnham also gave his support to Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan as he condemned racism.

He said: “I feel for him. He’s a great friend.”

The Mayor said the “everyday racism” on display in Britain is “really, really terrifying”, adding there is “overt Islamophobia, antisemitism, racism swirling around”.

Playing down his chances of coming to Westminster, he said “something magical” is happening in Greater Manchester.

“You’d have to wrench me out of the place,” he said.