PM's EU reset has failed his 'Makerfield test': Voters reject plan to bring UK closer to EU

Andy Burnham's EU reset has failed his own 'Makerfield test', with voters saying they want the Government alone to decide key policy. A survey of the Prime Minister's constituents found that on ten different issues only a tiny minority thought the UK should follow decisions made . Yet he is working on a deal, being unveiled on November 20, that will align Britain with a series of EU rules. When Mr Burnham won the Makerfield by-election in June, he said he wanted his Leave-voting constituency to be a 'touchstone' – with every government policy or announcement having to meet a 'Makerfield test' showing they improve residents' life and work. He said: 'A Makerfield test at the heart of British politics will make sure that the places Westminster has neglected will get fairness.' But polling , a cross-party campaign group for a sovereign and independent UK, found his policies would not meet the test. Voters in Makerfield were asked who should decide UK policy on ten different issues. To avoid simply dividing those polled into Remainers and Leavers, the survey did not mention the EU, but instead sought to test core attitudes on where decisions are made.  In every case, a clear majority of those polled said policy should be decided .