Angela Rayner Brexit row: Farage brands remarks a ‘betrayal’

Labour refuses to close door on EU freedom of movement

The exchange comes ahead of next month’s UK-EU summit, where the Prime Minister is due to meet European leaders as efforts to rebuild relations following Brexit continue. 

The previous summit was postponed after Labour removed Sir Keir Starmer as party leader.

Rayner was challenged on the issue during a Sky News interview on Sunday morning. 

Asked several times whether she would support a return to the arrangements that allowed people to live and work freely across EU member states, she stopped short of giving a definitive answer.

She said Britain should be “having a conversation and understanding the facts of what could be possible”, leaving open the question of whether the UK might consider such a move in future.

Andy Burnham’s position on EU membership comes under scrutiny

The issue has nevertheless become more prominent following reports that Andy Burnham is now open to the idea. 

His apparent change in position is notable given his previous support for remaining in the EU and his subsequent efforts to revisit the referendum result.

Burnham backed Remain in 2016 and called for a second referendum after the campaign to stay in the bloc was defeated. 

Speaking at Labour’s 2025 conference, he also said he wanted Britain to return to the EU “in my lifetime”.

Reports of his more recent stance emerged during campaigning in the Makerfield by-election. 

The constituency voted 65% to leave the EU, and the Express reported that Burnham avoided directly answering questions about the apparent shift when approached by the publication.

Farage uses EU debate to launch attack on Labour

Farage has used the developments to launch an attack on Labour. According to the Express, he accused Rayner and Burnham of a “total betrayal of Brexit Britain”, arguing that their comments raised doubts about Labour’s acceptance of the 2016 referendum result.

The Reform UK leader has also pointed to his party’s recent fundraising, with donations reportedly reaching £72 million in the space of two days.

For the government, the immediate challenge is to clarify what it wants from its dealings with the EU without suggesting that proposals still under discussion have already become policy.

With the next summit approaching, freedom of movement is likely to remain a point of political contention.