Andy Burnham free movement EU: 'honest discussion' call ahead of Brussels summit
Andy Burnham says he wants an "honest discussion" with the British public about a possible return to free movement between the UK and the EU, and will meet EU chiefs at a Brussels summit on 20 November.
Andy Burnham free movement EU: 'honest discussion' call ahead of Brussels summit
Andy Burnham has called for an "honest discussion" with the British public about a possible return to free movement between the UK and the EU, as part of plans for a new relationship with the bloc. He will meet EU chiefs at a summit in Brussels on 20 November.
What Burnham is proposing
Speaking in an interview with the Sunday Times, Burnham said the debate should be factual and evidence-based. He argued freedom of movement "had very significant challenges associated with it", but said European migration has changed over the past decade.
"Revolving door migration where people would come and then go back is different."
Burnham also pointed to what he sees as the reciprocal benefits of free movement for Britons, particularly for young members of the population wanting to experience living in Europe. He said he will use the Brussels summit to lay out to the British public different options for the future relationship with the bloc.
The options and the red lines
The options Burnham discussed include:
- Joining the single market, which would require signing up to free movement
- Being part of the customs union
- Both routes would require agreeing to some EU-set rules
Burnham said he could not imagine recommending that the UK join the Schengen Area or adopt the euro.
The prime minister has previously committed to Labour's 2024 election manifesto red lines, which ruled out the return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union. But he has also said a new deal could mean the UK goes "all the way" and rejoins the EU. According to the report, fundamental change in the UK-EU relationship is unlikely before a general election expected by 2029.
The migration numbers behind the debate
Migration was one of the dominant debates during the 2016 Brexit referendum campaign, and the figures Burnham's argument rests on show how the picture has shifted:
- In the 12 months to June 2016, the month of the Brexit vote, net migration was at a near-record high of 335,000, according to the Office for National Statistics
- It peaked at a record 944,000 in the year to March 2023, driven by foreign workers under Boris Johnson's Conservative government as the UK emerged from Covid
- It stood at 171,000 last year, almost half of what it was in 2016 and well below pre-Brexit levels
Opponents respond
Nigel Farage called Burnham's comments a "total betrayal" of voters who backed Brexit, including in his Makerfield constituency. "He is also deluded to say immigration was different when we were members of the EU. We will fight this dishonesty," Farage said.
Chris Philp, the Conservative shadow home secretary, accused Burnham of knowing that restoring EU free movement would return border control to Brussels and open the door to uncontrolled migration from Europe. "The British people voted to end free movement, and there can be no return to it," Philp said.
Burnham's next step is the Brussels summit on 20 November, where he says he will set out the different options for the future UK-EU relationship.
