# What would freedom of movement mean for the UK in 2026?

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/what-would-freedom-of-movement-mean-for-the-uk-in-2026-2/
- Published: 2026-11-04T05:11:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T04:57:19+00:00
- Original publisher: The Independent (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freedom-of-movement-uk-brexit-eu-burnham-b3078772.html
- Topics: Government, Politics, UK, World

## Key points

- Burnham has reopened debate about the UK’s relationship with the EU.
- Freedom of movement would restore reciprocal rights to live and work.
- Net migration fell to about 171,000 after visa rules tightened.

## Summary

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has renewed discussion about how Brexit has affected migration, prompting speculation that the UK could seek a freedom of movement deal with the EU. He denies planning to propose one at an upcoming summit, and has said any return to the pre-Brexit arrangement would need to be put to voters in a referendum.

Such a deal would restore reciprocal rights for UK and EU citizens to live, work and study across borders, while the UK could retain its own border controls outside the Schengen area. Freedom of movement did not give unlimited settlement rights: stays over three months required work, study or financial self-sufficiency. Net migration reached 944,000 in the year to March 2023, then fell to about 171,000 after visa restrictions; the article says Brexit changed migrants’ origins and patterns rather than delivering the promised drop.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.