Prime Minister Andy Burnham has denied proposing a return to free movement during discussions between the United Kingdom and the European Union, insisting that any adjustments to the country's relationship with Europe must be driven by the British public.
His clarification comes as senior cabinet colleagues expressed caution regarding discussions about the UK seeking full membership in the EU or its single market, highlighting the potential consequences of reintroducing free movement rules. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasized on Monday that the government remains bound by Labour’s manifesto, which explicitly ruled out restoring freedom of movement during the current parliament.
Speaking in an interview with ITV, Burnham called for an honest national conversation about how Britain's departure from the EU altered immigration trends. He argued that post-Brexit policies effectively replaced temporary European workers, who typically returned home after short stays, with higher numbers of long-term settlers from other parts of the world who arrive with more dependents, referring to the shift as the "Boriswave." Burnham stressed that he has not proposed bringing back freedom of movement and reiterated his commitment to manifesto red lines that rule out joining the customs union, single market, or free movement framework during this parliamentary term.
Mahmood, who announced extensive revisions to migration rules in parliament on Monday, declined to engage in speculation over free movement while addressing the issue on Sky News. She stated that the prime minister recognized significant historic issues with free movement, which should form part of a broader national debate on the post-Brexit settlement. However, she also pointed out that Britain suffered a loss of control over migration following its exit from the EU, noting that losing access to EU-wide databases had a very significant impact on the government's ability to manage immigration effectively.
In a subsequent interview on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mahmood confirmed she had discussed the topic directly with Burnham. She noted that a decade after the Brexit referendum, it was reasonable to have an open discussion about the terms of the withdrawal and the nation's future path, while maintaining that the government is strictly bound by its manifesto pledge not to reopen the freedom of movement question in this parliament.
Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Anna Turley told Sky News that her immediate priority remains reforming the existing immigration system and helping young British citizens secure employment. Turley emphasized the need to build a controlled and non-chaotic system, halt illegal crossings by small boats, and strengthen enforcement regarding removals.
“I think the prime minister said that he wants to have an open discussion,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “I think he’s got a position that actually most of the country can understand, which is we’re 10 years on from Brexit, it’s right that we have an open discussion about the terms on which we left and what
