Andy Burnham says he wants an \u201chonest discussion\u201d with the British public about the possibility of a return to free movement between the UK and the EU as part of his plans for a new relationship with the bloc.<\/p>\n
The prime minister has been open about his desire to revisit the relationship between Britain and Brussels. He has said a new deal could mean the UK goes \u201call the way\u201d<\/a> and rejoins the EU.<\/p>\n Other options discussed by Burnham include joining the single market, which would require signing up to free movement, or being part of the customs union. Both would require an element of agreeing to rules set by the EU.<\/p>\n In an interview with the Sunday Times he said: \u201cI think you have to have a very factual, quite evidence-based debate about this.\u201d<\/p>\n The prime minister has previously committed to the red lines in Labour\u2019s 2024 election manifesto, which ruled out the return of free movement, single market membership or a customs union.<\/p>\n It means any fundamental change in the relationship is likely to have to wait until after a general election, expected by 2029.<\/p>\n The prime minister acknowledged freedom of movement \u201chad very significant challenges associated with it\u201d, but suggested that European migration had changed in the past decade.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a type of immigration that perhaps wasn\u2019t as difficult [as now],\u201d he told the Sunday Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cRevolving door migration where people would come and then go back is different.<\/p>\n \u201cThe balance of migration has changed, hasn\u2019t it, since then? I think we\u2019ve just got to have an honest discussion about those things.\u201d<\/p>\n Burnham will meet EU chiefs at a summit in Brussels on 20 November.<\/p>\n He argued that there had been reciprocal benefits of free movement for Britons, particularly for young members of the population wanting to experience living in Europe.<\/p>\n The issue of migration was one of the dominant debates during the 2016 Brexit<\/a> referendum campaign.<\/p>\n In the 12 months to June 2016 \u2013 the month of the Brexit leave vote \u2013 net migration was at a near-record high of 335,000, according to the Office for National Statistics<\/a>.<\/p>\n Decisions made after the Brexit result would lead to higher levels of migration, however.<\/p>\n