UK prime minister Burnham calls for honest debate on EU freedom of movement

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Britain should hold an “honest discussion” about returning to the European Union’s freedom of movement rules for workers.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, Burnham argued that the pattern of EU migration to the UK has changed since the 2016 Brexit referendum, noting that the pre‑Brexit “revolving door” migration was less challenging than the current situation.

He suggested that any talk of restoring freedom of movement should be part of a wider reset of the UK’s relationship with the EU, including data sharing arrangements such as Eurodac.

The Office for National Statistics reported that net migration to the UK fell to 171,000 in 2025, down from 331,000 the previous year, the first such decline since the post‑Brexit immigration system was introduced.

Burnham, who has previously floated the idea of the UK re‑applying to join the EU, said the issue of migration was central to the Brexit vote and now required fresh consideration. His comments were criticised by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a “total betrayal of Brexit Britain”.

Burnham is due to meet senior EU officials at a summit on 20 November as part of efforts to boost the UK economy.

Source: Al Jazeera. Photo: AXP Photography / Pexels.