Burnham faces Red Wall backlash over his bid to unpick Brexit and cosy up to Brussels

Published: 23:39 BST, 13 October 2026 | Updated: 23:41 BST, 13 October 2026

Andy Burnham faces a Red Wall resistance over his bid to unpick Brexit and cosy up to Brussels. 

Labour MPs from Brexit-backing parts of the North and Midlands cautioned against reopening the divisive debate – and urged the Prime Minister to rule out a return to free movement. 

Pendle and Clitheroe MP Jonathan Hinder warned that stoking up the Brexit argument 'would not be good for our politics' as it would amount to telling Leave voters: 'You're wrong.' 

Hartlepool MP Jonathan Brash said the idea of rejoining with no referendum was a 'non-starter'. 

He added: 'Given the level of political and, I would argue, social damage that the referendum did, I don't think it's worth going down that route again.' 

Another Red Wall MP told the Daily Mail: 'Some people have forgotten how unpopular free movement was with a lot of people. 

The Prime Minister pictured meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on September 22 

'It's probably the main reason we had the referendum in the first place – and in my area, it's definitely the main reason people voted Leave. 

'I don't know why we would want to stir it all up again.' 

Andy Haldane, former chief economist at the Bank of England and a sometime adviser to the PM, said: 'Could we strike a better deal with the EU? Yes. Would that deliver some growth dividend over some five, ten, 15-year horizons? Probably. 

'Do we want to rerun that Brexit referendum? Would that not be a thing that escalated uncertainty and, therefore, set business back on its heels? I think that is the risk in this. That it opens up a can of worms that generates more uncertainty at a time when stability is needed.' 

Mr Burnham told MPs on Monday he would press ahead with controversial plans to seek a new deal with the EU, saying that 'sticking with the status quo is not good enough for Britain'. 

He said a closer arrangement would be good for the economy. But he refused five times to rule out ever returning to free movement with the EU. 

The PM wants to win back Labour voters who have defected to the Lib Dems and Greens. 

Dame Emily Thornberry, Labour chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee, said those who want to shut down debate about Brexit should 'get over it'. 

She added: 'Why shouldn't we talk about this when the majority of people agree Brexit was a disaster and we ought to get back into the EU?'