Prime minister calls for discussion on free movement

The British prime minister, Andy Burnham, has called for an "honest discussion" on free movement within the European Union, according to a report published on Sunday, October 25, in the Sunday Times. Burnham, who has been in office since July, expressed openness to reintroducing European Union free movement rules within the framework of the United Kingdom's future relationship with the EU.

Burnham considers UK rejoining EU

Burnham did not rule out the possibility of the United Kingdom rejoining the EU and even mentioned the country might one day request reintegration into the EU. He stated that the country must have an "honest discussion" on how immigration to the United Kingdom has evolved since Brexit. Immigration was one of the main reasons why Britons voted with a narrow majority to leave the EU during the 2016 referendum, triggered by the Conservatives.

Immigration patterns have changed

According to Burnham, immigration to the United Kingdom is "different" since the beginning of 2020 when the UK left the EU. "It was a type of immigration that may not have been as difficult (as it is today)," he said to the Sunday Times. "A turn-over migration, where people came and then left, is different." "The migration balance has changed, hasn't it, since then? I think we simply need to have an honest discussion about this."

Burnham respects predecessor's manifesto

Burnham has committed to respecting the 2024 electoral manifesto of his predecessor Keir Starmer, which excluded the return of free movement, membership of the single market, or a customs union with the EU. This means he could seek a mandate for any major changes in the UK's relationship with the EU during the next general elections, which are not currently scheduled before 2029. Burnham told the Sunday Times that he "did not see himself recommending anything that would involve joining" the euro or the Schengen borderless area, which the United Kingdom was not part of before Brexit.

Opposition criticizes Burnham's stance

Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-immigration Reform UK party, called Burnham's statements on free movement a "total betrayal of British Brexit." Burnham and EU leaders hope to conclude agreements on food and drinks, youth mobility, and the exchange of emissions quotas when they meet on November 20.