Burnham Opens Door to 'Honest Discussion' on Returning to EU Free Movement

In an interview with the Sunday Times, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would welcome an "honest discussion" about bringing back free movement between the UK and the European Union. He said he wants a new kind of relationship with Brussels, one that could include full EU membership or entry to the single market. Either route would require free movement.

He framed the question as one for evidence rather than slogans. "I think you have to have a very factual, quite evidence-based debate about this," he told the paper. He also argued that the migration of the EU years differed from what Britain faces now. In his account, it was generally younger people, though not always, who came for a few years and then went home, and that ease of movement worked for British people too. He called this "revolving door migration" and said the balance of migration has changed since then.

He did not play down the downsides. He acknowledged that freedom of movement "had very significant challenges associated with it." He also drew a limit. He said he could not see himself ever recommending anything that would involve joining the euro or Schengen, the passport-free travel zone. The UK never gave up the pound during its years of membership, though the bloc has pushed newer members toward the single currency.

The remarks sit awkwardly beside commitments he has already made. Burnham has said he stands by Labour's 2024 manifesto, which ruled out the return of free movement, single market membership and a customs union. He has said any fundamental change would need a mandate at a general election, which is due by 2029.

They also sit awkwardly beside his path to Downing Street. Burnham won the Greater Manchester seat of Makerfield at a by-election in June and became prime minister the following month. The constituency voted to leave the EU in 2016. As a candidate, he promised not to "re-run" Brexit arguments and said he was "not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU.\"

Reopening some of Britain's most sensitive political debates has been a feature of his first months in power. In a BBC interview in September, he said Britain could go "all the way" toward rejoining the EU. Migration dominated the 2016 referendum campaign, when the Leave side focused on rules allowing any EU citizen to move to the UK.

Opponents reacted sharply. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said free movement would amount to "handing back control of our borders and allowing uncontrolled migration from across Europe." He added: "The British people voted to end free movement, and there can be no return to it."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called the comments "a total betrayal of Brexit Britain and his Makerfield pitch." He also said Burnham was "deluded" to claim immigration was different during EU membership, and promised: "We will fight this dishonesty."

The interview came ahead of a summit with EU leaders in Brussels on 20 November. Burnham is expected to put forward options there for a reset of relations with the bloc. The argument over free movement is likely to sharpen before then.