British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants to discuss the United Kingdom returning to the European Union’s rules on freedom of movement for workers, according to a report published by Al Jazeera on 25 October 2026. The report draws on an interview Mr Burnham gave to The Sunday Times and on coverage from AFP and Reuters. Al Jazeera does not describe a formal government proposal; the remarks set out a willingness to open a conversation.
What Burnham Said
According to Al Jazeera, Mr Burnham acknowledged that the arrival of EU workers before Brexit had posed significant challenges, but suggested it was a type of immigration that perhaps had not been as difficult as the situation now. He drew a distinction between “revolving door” migration, in which people come and later leave, and current patterns, and asked whether the balance of migration had changed. He called for an honest discussion of those questions.
He also argued that freedom of movement should not be treated in isolation. In his view it could form part of a broader reset of relations between the UK and the EU, covering areas such as data sharing and migration. He pointed to the loss of access to Eurodac, which he linked to data collaboration on migration, and said the issues must be seen “in the round”, Al Jazeera reported.
Background and Reaction
Al Jazeera notes that immigration was a major theme of the 2016 Brexit referendum, which the Leave side won narrowly. It says Mr Burnham told his Labour Party conference in September that Brexit had done more harm than good and called for Britain to consider its long-term relationship with the EU. The outlet adds that he has previously floated the idea of Britain applying to rejoin the EU one day.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, which opposes high immigration, condemned the comments as a betrayal of Brexit Britain, according to Al Jazeera.
The report also cites figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that long-term net migration to the UK fell to 171,000 in 2025 from 331,000 the previous year, a fall that Al Jazeera says means net migration nearly halved. It links the fall to tougher government measures. Mr Burnham is due to meet senior EU officials at a summit on 20 November 2026, Al Jazeera said.
Why It Matters
Freedom of movement sits at the centre of the post-Brexit settlement, so any move to discuss it signals how far a UK government may be prepared to go in rebuilding ties with Brussels. For now the comments are an invitation to talk rather than a policy, and they have already drawn strong opposition from Reform UK. The November summit will show whether the EU side is willing to engage, and how the prime minister balances closer cooperation against a public debate that remains sharply divided over migration and Brexit.
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