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Downing Street has been forced to clarify the prime minister’s stance over future ties with the EU, after he appeared to leave open a potential referendum on freedom of movement, ITV News Political Correspondent Harry Horton reports
Andy Burnham has told Good Morning Britain he won’t be pushing for the UK to rejoin the European Union (EU) within this parliament – but said the current deal with the bloc is not “good enough” for Britain.
Appearing on the breakfast show for his first live TV interview, the prime minister said the UK had gone through a “harder Brexit” than originally promised, which had weakened the economy and the nation’s control of immigration.
He said he would work to secure a better deal with Brussels, but insisted he would not “move ahead of the public”, despite wanting to see the UK back in the EU within his lifetime.
“We have a decade of experience now looking back at Brexit, and I don’t think it has played out as people said it would at the time, particularly when it comes to to immigration,” Burnham said.
“I think we’ve got weaker control now. The reason the small boats crisis has arisen is because we can’t return people, and people know we can’t do that in the same way that we used to be able to do.”
Watch Andy Burnham’s interview with Good Morning Britain, in which the prime minister said he wants to seek a better post-Brexit deal for Britain
He continued: “I am not going to say at the moment that the deal we’ve got is good enough for Britain.
“I think we can make it better and I’m going to lead a discussion about how do we make it better in a way that people can support. It is my responsibility to get the best arrangements we possibly can.”
Burnham said he would not be proposing any changes in this parliament, but admitted he would like the country to be a part of the bloc again within his lifetime.
The PM’s constituency, Makerfield, was in favour of Brexit, with 65% of people voting to leave in 2016.
“I am not going to move ahead of the public. I am not going to dictate in terms of my own opinions here,” Burnham said.
Burnham is due to attend a UK-EU summit on November 20, and will set out a series of options for Britain’s future relationship with the bloc before then.
He said he was behind Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s proposal to extend the waiting period for indefinite leave to remain for foreign workers to 15 years, amid reports of the plans splitting the Cabinet.
“Why has this problem arisen? It’s arisen because if you look back to the early 2020s, people call it the ‘Boriswave’, a huge number of people came in seeking permanent settlement on longer term visas and that was the change I was pointing to, in relation to freedom of movement and revolving door migration,” he said.
The PM said he’d like to see the UK rejoin the EU in his lifetime Credit: PA
“A new problem has arisen for Britain in terms of, how do we handle that form of migration in the long run.
“The home secretary is right, in my view, to bring forward changes that are based on the principle that settlement is a right to be earned, not just something that is granted automatically. She’ll set out the final conclusion soon.”
No 10 was forced to clarify the prime minister’s position on the UK’s future relationship with the EU after he told the Sunday Times that it was time for an “honest discussion” about a return to freedom of movement.
Asked whether the public would decide on proposals to get closer to the EU through a referendum or by voting on an updated Labour manifesto, a Downing Street spokesperson said we are “not at that stage yet”.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood also told the Commons, on Monday, that Mr Burnham’s call for an honest discussion is “not the same as settled policy”.
“The Prime Minister has also observed that there were very significant issues with freedom of movement when we were within the EU,” she said.
“An honest debate means actually being honest about all of the aspects of that debate and not cherry-picking.”
A No 10 spokeswoman was asked whether he would use a referendum or an election manifesto to put proposals to return to the arrangement, which he has said he wants an “honest discussion” about the prospect of, to the public.
She replied: “So, the Prime Minister isn’t proposing a return to freedom of movement, or any option.
“He is saying that it’s time for us to discuss what kind of long-term relationship with Europe is best for Britain and he is referring to the types of areas that that agreement and long-term future could cover.
“He is crucially not leaning either way, and that will be for the British public to decide. And his focus for now is on next month’s summit and the practical arrangements that we hope to make there, which will add billions to the economy.”The Prime Minister is “not pre-empting any of that process”, she said.
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Elsewhere during Monday’s interview with Good Morning Britain, Burnham denied that there would be a general election in the immediate future, stating that it is not what the British public want.
He also discussed a rough sleeping summit he will be holding in Downing Street later on Monday, which will bring together private firms, charities and local leaders.
Chancellor John Healey is set to announce a £432 million boost to help ensure homeless people are off the streets by Christmas in the Budget this week.
Burnham told GMB he was “confident” rough sleeping could be ended, calling it a “fixable problem” and the “right thing to do”.
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