Burnham leaves door open to referendum on EU free movement

Image source, Reuters

Downing Street has appeared to backtrack on the prime minister’s suggestion that he could call another referendum on whether to join the EU’s freedom of movement.

Asked earlier by broadcasters if he could introduce freedom of movement without a referendum, Andy Burnham said “no”.

But sources told the BBC no decision on that has been made and the prime minister’s deputy spokesperson later said the government was not going to “get ahead” of how to consult the public.

Burnham has ruled out major changes to the UK’s relationship with the EU before the next general election but says he wants start a conversation about potential options.

He told broadcasters that he would “never move ahead of the British public when it comes to Brexit”.

Migration dominated debate during the 2016 Brexit campaign, with the Leave campaign raising issues about freedom of movement allowing any EU citizen to move to the UK.

Burnham has said he is committed to Labour’s 2024 election manifesto, which ruled out a return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union.

And he has previously stressed any changes would require a mandate at a general election, which is due by 2029.

After lengthy questioning about the issue, Number 10 sought to clarify the prime minister’s remarks, saying: “The prime minister isn’t proposing a return to freedom of movement or any option.”

“He is crucially not leaning either way and that will be for the British public to decide,” the prime minister’s deputy spokeswoman said.

“What he wants to do first is have a conversation with the public. The process will follow.”

She added: “The PM thinks the Brexit deal is not good enough.”

Freedom of movement, which allows EU citizens to travel, live, study and work in any member country, is a precondition of membership of the EU’s single market.

The single market enables goods, services and people to move freely between member states, with countries also applying many common rules and standards.

Burnham open to ‘honest discussion’ on EU free movement

Brexit referendum ‘possible’ in Labour election manifesto, says Burnham

In an interview with the Sunday Times, external, Burnham said he would welcome an “honest discussion” about the prospect of returning to free movement between the UK and the EU.

The PM argued that the type of migration had changed since Brexit, with more foreigners moving permanently.

In contrast, he suggested that when the UK was a member of the EU, migration was “generally younger people”, who would spend a few years in the country before returning home.

However, Burnham added: “I can’t see myself ever recommending anything that would involve joining the euro or Schengen.”

The Schengen Agreement, which the UK was not part of when it was in the EU, allows passport-free travel across member countries.

The UK was able to keep the pound when it was an EU member, but the bloc has pushed new members to adopt the Euro.

Burnham has argued that since Brexit, the UK has lost immigration control the country previously had.

“For instance, the small boats crisis has arisen in the last 10 years because we lost that returns agreement when people came here that we could work with other countries to return them,” he told broadcasters.

The Conservatives and Reform UK both oppose a return to free movement with the EU.

However, the Liberal Democrats have argued that allowing freedom of movement would help economic growth.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued most people who voted for Brexit did so because they did not want free movement, while Reform leader Nigel Farage has said such a move would be “a total betrayal of Brexit Britain”.

Farage told broadcasters he was “up for the fight again” on the EU and an “election is coming” to decide that.

“Crucially, [Burnham] goes to Brussels on 20 November for a key summit – he must not sign up to anything there without at least putting those minor changes to a general election,” he said.

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