# Burnham opens door to UK-EU freedom of movement

> The prime minister says he wants an honest discussion about restoring free movement with Europe, but any return would require a referendum and likely wait until after 2029.
- Title: Burnham opens door to UK-EU freedom of movement | Shortify
- Summary: The prime minister says he wants an honest discussion about restoring free movement with Europe, but any return would require a referendum and likely wait…
- Keywords: andy burnham, freedom of movement, uk-eu relations, brexit, immigration, european single market, politics, news, Burnham, opens, door, UK-EU
- Source: The Independent — https://independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freedom-of-movement-uk-brexit-eu-andy-burnham-b3073380.html
- Published: 2026-10-26T13:45:59+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: andy burnham, freedom of movement, uk-eu relations, brexit, immigration, european single market, politics, news
## Burnham opens door to free movement
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Monday he wants an honest discussion about restoring freedom of movement between the UK and EU after Brexit.

> I was asked about how things have changed in the 10 years since Brexit, and the truth of the matter is we've lost immigration control in the way that we once had.
## Why Burnham says Brexit harmed immigration control
Burnham argued that leaving the EU created the small boats crisis because the UK lost returns agreements with other countries to send migrants back.

> 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.
## What freedom of movement would mean
A return to free movement would end the points-based immigration system for European nationals. British citizens would regain the right to live, study and work across all twenty-seven EU member states without restriction.
## Benefits for British and EU citizens
UK passport holders would remove the ninety-day Schengen limit and regain reciprocal healthcare via the EHIC system and cross-border state pension coordination. EU citizens could move to the UK to seek work without visa fees.
## Brexit did not reduce net migration
Net migration surged to an all-time high of nine hundred forty-four thousand in the year to March twenty twenty-three. The post-Brexit visa system changed where migrants arrived from rather than reducing overall numbers.
## Recent tightening brought migration down
The government tightened visa rules in twenty twenty-four and twenty twenty-five, banning most dependants and raising salary floors to thirty-eight thousand seven hundred pounds. Net migration fell to around one hundred seventy-one thousand.
## Referendum required before any return
Burnham said he would not return to pre-Brexit free movement without first putting it to the nation in a referendum. He will not revisit Labour's red lines on Brexit until after the next general election.
## Full return unlikely before next decade
A full return to UK-EU freedom of movement is unlikely until at least the next decade.The next general election is set to take place in twenty twenty-nine at the latest.
## Key takeaway

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has opened the door to restoring freedom of movement with the EU, though he says any return would need a referendum and is unlikely before the next decade.