Burnham calls for "honest discussion" on return of free movement with EU
The prime minister says European migration has changed since Brexit as he prepares to set out options for UK-EU ties ahead of a Brussels summit on 20 November.
Prime minister Andy Burnham has said he wants an "honest discussion" with the British public about a possible return to free movement between the UK and the EU, according to The Guardian.
The Guardian, citing an interview Burnham gave to the Sunday Times, reported that he accepted freedom of movement "had very significant challenges associated with it". He also suggested that European migration had changed over the past decade.
“The balance of migration has changed, hasn't it, since then? I think we've just got to have an honest discussion about those things.”Andy Burnham, prime minister, speaking to the Sunday Times
He argued that free movement had brought benefits both ways, The Guardian reported, particularly for young Britons wanting to live in Europe.
The comments matter because Burnham has previously committed to the red lines in Labour's 2024 election manifesto. Those ruled out a return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union. The Guardian said this means any fundamental change in the relationship is likely to have to wait until after a general election, expected by 2029.
According to the report, Burnham has said a new deal could mean the UK goes "all the way" and rejoins the EU. Other options he has discussed include joining the single market, which would require signing up to free movement, or joining the customs union. He said he could not imagine recommending that the UK join the Schengen Area or adopt the euro.
Burnham will meet EU chiefs at a summit in Brussels on 20 November. He has said he will use the occasion to set out different options for the future relationship to the British public.
The Guardian put the debate in context. Citing the Office for National Statistics, it reported net migration of 335,000 in the 12 months to June 2016, the month of the Brexit vote. It said net migration peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 and stood at 171,000 last year.
Opposition figures reacted sharply. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the comments a "total betrayal" of voters who backed Brexit, including in Burnham's Makerfield constituency. Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, said: "The British people voted to end free movement, and there can be no return to it."
Much is still unclear. The report does not say which option Burnham prefers, whether he plans to change his manifesto commitments, or what exactly he will put to the public around the November summit. How EU leaders view the options is also not addressed.
