British Prime Minister Burnham Wants an 'Honest Discussion' on Free Movement with the EU

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants an “honest discussion” with the British public about the possibility of a return to free movement between the UK and the EU, as part of his plans for a new relationship with the bloc. The debate over reshaping the post-Brexit relationship on a large scale has therefore gained fresh momentum.

Burnham has been open about his desire to revisit the relationship between Britain and Brussels. He has said a new deal could mean the UK goes “all the way” and rejoins the EU.

Other options discussed by Burnham include joining the single market, which would require signing up to free movement, or being part of the customs union. Both would require an element of agreeing to rules set by the EU.

In an interview with the Sunday Times he said: “I think you have to have a very factual, quite evidence-based debate about this.” He stressed judging the issue on facts and evidence rather than emotion.

The prime minister has previously committed to the red lines in Labour's 2024 election manifesto, which ruled out the return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union. The tension between his current remarks and that earlier commitment is now at the centre of the discussion.

It means any fundamental change in the relationship is likely to have to wait until after a general election, expected by 2029. In other words, Burnham's discussion is not turning into a policy decision right now.

The prime minister acknowledged freedom of movement “had very significant challenges associated with it”, but suggested that European migration had changed in the past decade.

He told the Sunday Times: “It was a type of immigration that perhaps wasn't as difficult [as now].” In his words, “Revolving door migration where people would come and then go back is different.”

He added: “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.” With those remarks, he has brought the debate back into the public arena.

Burnham will meet EU chiefs at a summit in Brussels on 20 November. News that the prime minister is considering different options ahead of that summit has made the visit all the more significant.

He argued that there had been reciprocal benefits of free movement for Britons, particularly for young members of the population wanting to experience living in Europe. In other words, he sees the issue not only as a question of people coming to Britain, but also of opportunities for Britons to go to Europe.

The issue of migration was one of the dominant debates during the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign. In the 12 months to June 2016 — the month of the Brexit leave vote — net migration was at a near-record high of 335,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.

Decisions made after the Brexit result would lead to higher levels of migration, however. Net migration peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023 due to a surge of foreign workers encouraged to come to the UK by Boris Johnson's Conservative government.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reacted sharply to Burnham's comments. He said the prime minister's comments were a “total betrayal” of voters who backed Brexit, including in Burnham's Makerfield constituency. Farage added that Burnham was “deluded” to say immigration was different when Britain was a member of the EU, and said they would fight this “dishonesty”.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: “Andy Burnham knows full well that a return to EU free movement would mean handing back control of our borders and allowing uncontrolled migration from across Europe.” He said: “The British people voted to end free movement, and there can be no return to it.”

All told, ahead of the 20 November summit in Brussels, Burnham's call for an “honest discussion” has brought the debate over the future of UK-EU relations back to the fore. But the manifesto red lines and the general election timetable suggest a long road remains before any decision on major change.