Farage Accuses Burnham of Brexit Betrayal
Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, has criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham, claiming he’s planning to “betray” British voters by hinting at a potential reversal on Brexit, particularly regarding the free movement scheme with the European Union.
Despite ongoing turmoil in several major European nations that have adopted mass migration—something evident from recent riots in Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain—Burnham, who is from the Labour Party, mentioned the need for the UK to engage in an “honest discussion” about possibly rejoining the EU’s open borders system, which allows for travel without immigration checks.
It’s worth noting that the sovereignty of the UK’s borders was a critical point during the 2016 EU referendum, where 17.4 million voted to leave the EU, marking it as a significant democratic event in the country’s history. Still, Burnham floated the idea that surrendering some control might be necessary to improve relationships with the EU and strengthen economic connections.
As he prepares to meet EU leaders in Brussels next month, Burnham told The Times of London that although there were “very significant challenges” associated with the freedom of movement system, he believed that when the UK was part of the EU, the kind of immigration related to it was perhaps simpler than today’s situation. He described it as “revolving door migration” where individuals would come and then return home.
While the Prime Minister hasn’t made a firm decision about reinstating the open-borders policy, influential Cabinet member and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner seemed to support the concept, indicating that Labour aims to secure the “best deal for Britain.”
“I want us to have an honest conversation about the potential trade-offs involved and then present that to the public during a general election,” she expressed during a BBC interview. “The Prime Minister is clear that all options must remain on the table during these discussions.”
Meanwhile, some party members, like former minister Jess Phillips, have suggested that Labour should consider campaigning for an outright return to the EU.
This discussion arises despite Burnham previously asserting during his campaign for parliament in the Makerfield by-election last June that the Brexit issue was resolved and he had no intentions of reopening that debate.
In comments shared with Breitbart London, Farage responded: “This is a complete betrayal of both Brexit and Burnham’s stance in Makerfield.”
Farage also found Burnham’s assertion that immigration changed when the UK was an EU member to be misguided, declaring, “We will combat this dishonesty.”
Zia Yusuf, Shadow Home Secretary for Reform UK, added that Burnham’s openness to reinstating free movement was irrational, warning it would permit 450 million EU citizens—and anyone obtaining citizenship from EU countries—to enter the UK without restrictions. Since 2020, a significant number of individuals from countries marked as ‘small boat nations’ have received EU citizenship, and Yusuf argued that Burnham is open to allowing these individuals to come to the UK legally.
“Last year, households with foreign nationals received a staggering £11.9 billion in Universal Credit—most of whom were EU nationals. Our public services and finances are already strained,” he underscored. “Burnham’s actions could open the floodgates even wider, which is crucial for the future of Britain.”
