No 10 Downplays Idea of UK Rejoining EU Single Market
Listen to the story
The UK government has spoken about its links with the European Union (EU). The EU is a group of countries in Europe. They trade together easily. This is called the single market.
Some people want the UK to join the single market again. The UK left the EU some years ago. This was called Brexit.
Andy Burnham is a UK politician. He said that joining the single market again would need a referendum. A referendum is a vote where everyone can choose.
Downing Street is the office of the prime minister. It gave a careful answer about this idea. It did not say yes or no clearly.
The prime minister talked before about having a debate on the UK's future links with the EU. A debate means people talk about different ideas.
Burnham also talked about another problem today. He spoke about people who sleep outside with no home. This is called rough sleeping.
He said helping these people costs less money than doing nothing. This was at a special meeting about rough sleeping in Downing Street.
Vocabulary8 words
- European Union
- a group of countries in Europe that work together
- single market
- a system where countries trade easily with no extra rules
- Brexit
- the UK leaving the European Union
- politician
- a person who works in government
- referendum
- a vote where everyone decides one question
- prime minister
- the leader of the UK government
- debate
- a talk about different ideas
- rough sleeping
- sleeping outside with no home
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Quiz
Answer key
1. It would need a referendum 2. Played it down 3. Rough sleeping
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The UK government has spoken about its links with the _____ (EU).
Some people want the UK to join the _____ again.
Andy Burnham said that joining the single market again would need a _____.
Downing Street is the office of the _____.
The prime minister talked before about having a _____ on the UK's future links with the EU.
Burnham also talked about people who sleep outside with no home, called _____.
He said helping these people costs less money than _____ the problem.
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