British and European Union officials are expected to discuss possibilities for the future of relations between London and Brussels, including the issue of free movement of citizens.
British Secretary for Business Jonathan Reynolds has confirmed this in an interview for the BBC, while talks are expected to start before the EU’s (Britain) summit, which will be held on November 20th, broadcast Telegrafi.
However, British Prime Minister Downing Street’s office has stressed that the government’s current focus remains reaching new agreements in concrete areas, such as food and drink trade, as well as youth mobility. Reynolds said nothing has been made about the form Britain’s long-term relationship with the European Union.
Speaking of the BBC Radio 4, Reynolds’s latest programme explained that discussions ahead of the summit focus on food and drink, electricity and emissions trading.
He added that policy changes in the EU could also affect Britain and that the country should have as little uncertainty about how the relationship with Brussels will develop in the future.
Directly questioned whether British officials are discussing free movement with the EU, Reynolds said the parties would consider future possibilities for their relations, but insisted that immediate attention should be on the summit and concrete improvements that can be achieved.
A British government spokesman explained that there is currently no discussion about restoring free movement. According to him, working with the EU is taking place in areas agreed on for the summit and within limits defined in the 2024 Labusist Party election programme.
Free movement enables EU citizens to travel, live, study and work in any member state. It is one of the conditions for participation in the single European market, where goods, services, and people move freely while countries also implement many common rules and standards.
The debate has been prompted by statements by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, who has called for a sincere discussion on the possibility of restoring free movement between Britain and the EU.
Burnham has been more willing than his political predecessor, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, to publicly open the debate on Brexit, issues that have caused deep divisions in British society.
Within the Labusist Party, some voices have called for a more ambitious approach to relations with the EU. There is also the conviction that Burnham’s comments can find support for voters who are considering the possibility of voting for the Liberal Democrats or the Green Democrats.
However, part of the labist deputies are concerned that opening this debate could cost support in electoral areas where Brexit enjoys considerable support and where the Reform Party UK is competitive.
Labour MP Melanie Onn, who represents the Great Grimsby area and Cleethhorpes, where in the 2016 referendum most voted to leave the EU, warned that discussions on changes beyond the 2024 election programme could undermine voters’ confidence.
I don’t think the wounds have healed for many people in the country, so I think this is an unnecessary discussion to be done right now, she told the BBC.
Onn, who lost his mandate in 2019 in front of conservatives but regained it in the 2024 elections, stressed that faith can be easily acquired and lost, so he sought great care on the issue.
Even Reform Leader UK, Nigel Farage, criticised Burnham’s initiative. In an interview for BBC Breakfast, he said Burnham has no mandate to negotiate with Brussels and demanded that the prime minister present his ideas to the public through general elections.
On Monday, Burnham left open the possibility of a referendum on free movement with the EU. Starmer had caused confusion when he told the media that he would not restore free movement without a referendum, but Downing Street clarified later that no decision had been made if a public vote was needed. /Telegraphy/
Interior Minister Angela Rayner had earlier declared to the BBC that no possibility for Britain’s future relations with the EU should be excluded in advance.
However, Burnham has also set clear limits on his attitude. In an interview for the Sunday Times, he said he would not support Britain’s membership in the eurozone or the Schengen area, which enables travel without ordinary border controls among the participating countries.
The fact that Starmer has not similarly ruled out the possibility of restoring free movement is being interpreted into political circles in Westminster as a sign that this issue could be one of the options the government is willing to consider in the future. However, so far, the government insists it has not made a decision to change its policy and that concrete agreements aimed at the November summit remain the priority.
Under Starmer’s stated stance, any major change in relations between Britain and the EU would require a new mandate by voters in the general elections, which should be held no later than 2029. For the duration of this parliamentary session, the government has promised to respect the 2024 Laburist’s red lines of manifesto, which rule out the return to free movement, the single European market and customs union. /Telegraphy/