Andy Burnham’s call for debate on free movement with EU draws mixed Labour response

Andy Burnham’s call for the UK to consider a return to free movement with Europe has been backed by senior cabinet ministers including Angela Rayner, but risks causing concern among fellow red wall MPs.

The British prime minister made his plea for an “honest discussion” about free movement in an interview with the Sunday Times, making it clear that staying out of it would no longer be a red line in talks with the EU.

“Freedom of movement had very significant challenges associated with it and I spoke about them in my previous time in parliament. But, at the same time, it was a type of immigration that perhaps wasn’t as difficult [as now],” Burnham said.

“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.”

His remarks were supported by Rayner, the housing secretary, who told Sky News that it was “just pragmatism”.

“It’s about what is the best deal for Britain and that’s what we are asking the public to look at. The prime minister is clear that you can’t take anything off the table when you’re having a conversation,” she said.

Stella Creasy, a Labour MP and the chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, said Burnham was right that the UK was “long overdue for a grown-up conversation about what EU freedom of movement actually means to our supply chains and for jobs for British citizens”.

A number of senior cabinet ministers are keen for the UK to form a much closer relationship with the EU to help boost growth, potentially involving a return to the single market and accepting free movement as a result.

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However, a number of Labour MPs with heavily pro-Brexit seats in the so-called red wall in the north and midlands are wary about reopening the arguments for free movement or rejoining the EU.

Burnham’s comments drew an immediate response from the right of politics, with the Conservatives and Reform UK criticising the idea of reopening the debate. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said the idea of reopening free movement was “another example of Burnham’s foot-in-mouth syndrome”. – Guardian