AI Image
UK PM Burnham says he wants to discuss a return to EU freedom of movement
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has expressed interest in discussing Britain's potential return to the EU's freedom of movement rules, a contentious issue from the 2016 Brexit referendum.
- Burnham highlighted that while pre-Brexit EU worker migration posed challenges, it was less difficult due to the "revolving door" nature of migration, which has since changed significantly.
- He called for an honest discussion on how immigration to Britain has evolved post-Brexit, noting that long-term net migration nearly halved in 2025 due to stricter government controls.
- Burnham suggested that freedom of movement should be considered alongside broader UK-EU relationship issues, including data sharing and migration cooperation.
- His comments faced criticism from Nigel Farage, who labeled them a betrayal of Brexit, while Burnham prepares for an EU summit on November 20 aimed at resetting UK-EU ties and boosting the economy.
