PM open to 'honest discussion' about return to free movement with EU

Andy Burnham says that an "honest discussion" is needed about readopting the EU's free movement rules.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, the prime minister said immigration into ⁠Britain had ⁠been "different" since Brexit, with more foreigners ‌moving permanently.

"Freedom of movement had very significant challenges associated with it and I spoke about them in my previous time in parliament," Mr Burnham told the newspaper.

"But, at the same time, it was a type of immigration that perhaps wasn't as difficult [as now].

"Revolving door migration where people would come and then go back is different. 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."

Mr Burnham's remarks are the latest in a series of comments since he entered Downing Street in June that signal his openness to forming closer ties with Brussels or even rejoining the EU.

During the 2016 Brexit referendum, free movement, which allowed people from EU countries to move to the UK, was fiercely debated and has come to be viewed as a key reason why the country voted to leave the bloc.

The EU's freedom of movement principle is a core right of the bloc that allows all citizens of EU member states - as well as a few other countries - to travel, live, work, and study in any other participating country without needing a work permit or facing nationality-based discrimination. UK membership of the EU resulted in large numbers of EU citizens moving to Britain.

Following Brexit, a new points-based system for granting visas to migrants was introduced, but net migration also initially surged before falling in recent months.

The prime minister said that while he would not yet "jump to a firm position" on free movement, staying out of such an agreement would not be a red line in talks either.

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Mr Burnham argued that pre-Brexit, net migration was lower in Britain because many arrivals from the EU came for just a few years before returning home.

Last month, Mr Burnham said the UK should consider its options for a future relationship with the EU, including rejoining the bloc and re-entering the single market and customs union.

Only a few days before at the Labour Party's annual conference, Mr Burnham said Britain should consider its "long-term relationship with our European partners".

He also said that Brexit had done "more harm than good".

In the lead up to his return to Westminster, Mr Burnham described Brexit as "damaging" and a "catastrophic mistake".

During his campaign for the Makerfield by-election that paved the way for him to become prime minister, Mr Burnham played down suggestions he intended to reopen the Brexit debate.

He promised not to "re-run" Brexit arguments and said he was not proposing the UK considers rejoining the EU.

The Labour manifesto in its current form rules out that the party will seek to rejoin the EU.

Any shift in Labour's policy is sure to trigger criticism from the Conservatives and Reform.

(c) Sky News 2026: PM open to 'honest discussion' about return to free movement with EU