UK’s Burnham says he is open to discussing EU free movement

“You’ve got to see it in the round, rather than just looking at freedom of movement on its own,” he said.

Burnham, who is trying to find ways to speed up Britain’s economy, is due to meet top EU officials for a summit on Nov 20.

He said he could not imagine recommending that Britain adopt the euro currency or the EU’s border-free travel arrangements.

A new referendum would be needed to rejoin the EU but not necessarily to join the bloc’s single market or a customs union, the Sunday Times quoted Burnham as saying.

Former Conservative finance minister Jeremy Hunt, who campaigned to stay in the EU in 2016, said it would be a mistake to reopen one of the fundamental debates of the referendum and he said relaxing immigration rules would hurt people in Britain.

“I think it will be a hammer blow to getting people off welfare and into work,” Hunt told Sky News.