UK’s Burnham Says He Is Open to Discussing EU Free Movement

Asharq Al-Awsat EnglishOctober 25, 2026By author

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said he wants a discussion about returning to the European Union's freedom of movement rules for workers, a key issue in the 2016 Brexit referendum which led to Britain leaving the bloc. Building on previous comments about the need to rethink ties with Brussels, Burnham told the Sunday Times that the influx of EU workers into Britain before Brexit had posed very significant challenges. "But, at the same time, it was a type of immigration that perhaps wasn't as difficult (as now)," he said.

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