Burnham calls for open debate on free movement with the EU

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants an "honest discussion" with the British public about a possible return to free movement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. In an interview with the Sunday Times, he presented the idea as part of his plans for a new relationship with the bloc, nearly a decade after the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Burnham has been open about wanting to revisit ties with Brussels, and has said a new deal could even see Britain rejoin the EU. Other options he has discussed include joining the single market, which would require accepting free movement, or the customs union. Either would mean agreeing to follow some EU rules.

The prime minister called for a factual, evidence-based debate. He acknowledged that free movement "had very significant challenges associated with it", but suggested European migration had changed over the past decade. In his view it was a different type of immigration then, and "revolving door" migration, where people come and later return home, is not the same as today's pattern. He also pointed to reciprocal benefits for Britons, especially young people wanting to live in Europe.

Burnham will meet EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on 20 November, and plans to use the occasion to set out different options for the future relationship. He added that he could not imagine recommending that the UK join the Schengen Area, where border controls have been abolished, or replace the pound with the euro.

Political constraints and reactions

Burnham has previously committed to the red lines in Labour's 2024 election manifesto, which ruled out free movement, single market membership and a customs union. As a result, any fundamental shift will likely have to wait until a general election, expected by 2029.

According to the Office for National Statistics, net migration was 335,000 in the 12 months to June 2016, the month of the Brexit vote. It peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 and has since fallen sharply, standing at 171,000 last year.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the comments a "total betrayal" of Brexit voters. Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, said a return to free movement would mean handing back control of the country's borders.