UK prime minister calls for "honest discussion" on free movement with the EU

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for an "honest discussion" on whether to restore freedom of movement for people between the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU). That arrangement applied until Brexit, Britain's exit from the bloc. The issue matters because it touches both immigration policy and the future relationship between London and Brussels. Burnham's remarks were reported by Sky News.

According to the prime minister, immigration to Britain has become "different" since Brexit, as a growing number of foreign nationals move there to settle permanently. He acknowledged that free movement came with serious challenges, which he spoke about during his earlier time in parliament. However, he said it was a type of immigration that perhaps was not as difficult as the current situation, and that these questions need to be discussed openly.

What free movement means

Freedom of movement is one of the EU's core principles. It allows citizens of member states, and of several other countries, to travel, live, work and study in any other participating country without a work permit and without discrimination based on nationality. Britain's EU membership led to a large number of EU citizens moving to the country. After Brexit a new visa system for migrants was introduced, but net migration at first rose sharply and then began to fall in recent months.

No final position yet

Burnham said he does not intend to "rush to a final position" on free movement, but that ruling out such a deal would not be a "red line" in talks. He recently said he would set out options later this year for strengthening ties between Britain and the EU, noting that Brexit had done "more harm than good".

Leaders of Spain and France subsequently said the EU would gladly welcome Britain back if it ever decided to rejoin the bloc. On 12 October it became known that the UK and the EU will hold their annual leaders' summit on 20 November in Brussels.