Rayner backs Burnham call for debate on return to free movement with EU

Senior Labour cabinet minister Angela Rayner has endorsed a call from fellow Labour MP Andy Burnham for an open debate on the UK returning to free movement with the European Union, despite concerns from some red wall MPs. The prime minister recently stated that free movement would no longer be a non-negotiable issue in talks with the EU.

Burnham argued that free movement faced "significant challenges" and that migration patterns had changed since the UK's EU membership. Rayner emphasized that the discussion should focus on what is best for Britain, while Labour MP Stella Creasy said the UK was "long overdue for a grownup conversation" about the implications of free movement.

However, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood expressed caution, noting that it would be a "hard trade-off" and that there are "quite hard" considerations to weigh. Labour MPs in pro-Brexit constituencies are wary of reopening the debate, with some, like Jonathan Hinder, urging the prime minister to rule out free movement. The Conservatives and Reform UK also criticized Burnham's proposal, with Kemi Badenoch accusing him of "foot-in-mouth syndrome" and Nigel Farage calling it a "betrayal of Brexit Britain".

Despite the criticism, polling suggests that voters are increasingly open to the idea of rejoining the EU or a single market arrangement involving free movement.