Has Burnham opened a can of worms by wanting ‘honest discussion’ over Brexit? VOTE NOW

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Comment now Next ANDY Burnham has opened the door to bringing back freedom of movement – a major plank of the Brexit vote. The Prime Minister said he wants to have an “honest discussion” on free movement and closer ties to the EU. His starting point will be holding a summit with the EU where he looks for a better deal since leaving the bloc. He is committed Labour’s 2024 manifesto which said there would be no return to the single market, customs union and freedom of movement.

Advertisement Sign up for the Politics newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. However, this could all change if Mr Burnham wins an election and returns to Downing Street with his own mandate Nigel Farage said the move could pave the way for 450 million people coming here and undercutting British labour.

Read more on politics DAVID WOODING We had an 'honest discussion' about the EU, Andy… it was called a referendum TONY PARSONS Burnham is conning the nation with his Brexit pitch…EU will NEVER take us back Kemi Badenoch added that this was another example of Burnham’s “foot in mouth syndrome” of speaking before engaging brain. Having told voters in Makerfield he that he didn’t want to re-run the Brexit arguments, has this call for discussions opened a can of worms?

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The Sun asks whether Burnham went back on his Makerfield pledge not to re-run the Brexit arguments, but it leaves out his own answer. He argued he was not re-running the referendum and called the UK's exit deal a harder Brexit than was proposed. Without this, a reader believes he gave no account of the apparent contradiction.

How we know

Daily Express reported“he argued that he was not re-running the referendum”Andy Burnham confirms Brexit betrayal with explosive comment on re-joining EU (opens in a new tab)

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Read the original article on thesun.co.uk

What we found (4)

The Sun prints Nigel Farage's claim that Burnham's move could bring 450 million people here and undercut British labour, and sets nothing against it. Every outside voice in the piece is a critic of Burnham. The Sun asks whether he broke his Makerfield pledge but leaves out his own answer, and it opens by saying in its own voice that he has opened the door to free movement, although its fourth sentence says he is committed to ruling it out.

Gives a contested claim the last word
Serious
“Nigel Farage said the move could pave the way for 450 million people coming here and undercutting British labour”
Why this matters
The Sun prints Farage's figure of 450 million people and his claim that they would undercut British labour, and sets nothing against either.
The impression it gives
That a discussion about free movement could bring hundreds of millions of people to Britain and drive down British wages.
The context
The Sun's own fourth sentence says Burnham is committed to no return to freedom of movement. The government's Migration Advisory Committee found migration is not a major factor in the wages of UK-born workers. The article offers no response from Labour or anyone else to the claim.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“no return to the single market, customs union and freedom of movement”
- Our analysis“The government's Migration Advisory Committee found that migration is not a major factor in the wages of UK-born workers.”Love Without Substance
Show it in the article
Written straight
Nigel Farage claimed the move could bring 450 million people to Britain and undercut British workers. Burnham remains committed to no return to free movement, and the government's own migration advisers have found migration is not a major factor in UK-born workers' wages.
States one side's claim as fact
Minor
“ANDY Burnham has opened the door to bringing back freedom of movement”
Why this matters
The Sun states in its own voice, with no attribution, that Burnham has opened the door to bringing back freedom of movement.
The impression it gives
That the Prime Minister has moved towards restoring free movement with the EU.
The context
The article itself says Burnham is committed to Labour's manifesto pledge of no return to freedom of movement. Other coverage reports he has committed to those red lines, so any change would have to wait until after an election. What he said was that he wants an honest discussion. Opening the door is his opponents' reading, not an established fact.
How we know
- Elsewhere in the article“no return to the single market, customs union and freedom of movement”
- The Independent reported“Mr Burnham has committed to the red lines set out in Labour’s 2024 manifesto”Rayner says ‘nothing off the table’ for Burnham to undo harms of Brexit (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
One side gets the space
Minor
“Kemi Badenoch added”
Why this matters
After Farage, The Sun turns to Kemi Badenoch and to two Sun columns attacking Burnham. Every outside voice in the piece is a critic.
The impression it gives
That reaction to Burnham's remarks was uniformly hostile.
The context
Other coverage of the same remarks reports that the openness to revisit Brexit was welcomed by campaigners and senior Labour figures. None of them appears in the article.
How we know
- The Independent reported“The openness to revisit Brexit has been welcomed by campaigners and senior figures in Labour.”Rayner says ‘nothing off the table’ for Burnham to undo harms of Brexit (opens in a new tab)
Show it in the article
Leaves out what changes the picture
Minor
What is missing
The Sun asks whether Burnham went back on his Makerfield pledge not to re-run the Brexit arguments, but it leaves out his own answer. He argued he was not re-running the referendum and called the UK's exit deal a harder Brexit than was proposed. Without this, a reader believes he gave no account of the apparent contradiction.
How we know
- Daily Express reported“he argued that he was not re-running the referendum”Andy Burnham confirms Brexit betrayal with explosive comment on re-joining EU (opens in a new tab)
Show where it belongs

Has Burnham opened a can of worms by wanting ‘honest discussion’ over Brexit? VOTE NOW

Gives a contested claim the last word

States one side's claim as fact

One side gets the space

Leaves out what changes the picture

How other outlets reported it

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