Angela Rayner says nothing off table for Andy Burnham over EU relationship

Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has confirmed that nothing is off the table as the administration weighs options to reset the United Kingdom’s relationship with the European Union, according to reporting by NewsCord. The intervention follows remarks made by Prime Minister Andy Burnham to The Sunday Times, in which he indicated an openness to discussing various models of engagement with Brussels, including a potential return to freedom of movement, single market membership, or full EU membership.

Ms Rayner defended the government's shifting stance during a media appearance on Sunday, telling the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that exports have dropped by twenty per cent and that businesses face excessive friction and red tape under current trade arrangements. As reported by AOL.com and About Manchester, Ms Rayner addressed earlier comments made by Mr Burnham during a parliamentary by-election campaign in Makerfield where he suggested that reopening the Brexit debate was premature. She insisted that the administration must have an honest discussion about trade-offs before putting any concrete proposals to voters at a general election.

Media additions

The debate has reignited political divisions across Westminster. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch dismissed the prime minister's remarks on social media as an example of foot-in-mouth syndrome, arguing that voters backed leaving the European Union specifically to end unrestricted migration. Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt similarly warned on the same BBC broadcast that introducing new European labour competition would deal a hammer blow to government efforts to transition domestic welfare recipients into work, noting that there are one million young people not in employment, education, or training. Reform UK figures also condemned the approach, with Nigel Farage describing the comments as a betrayal and Robert Jenrick calling the idea of welcoming more migration completely mad. Conversely, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper welcomed freedom of movement as a positive step for economic growth.

Research shared by pro-EU groups ahead of Chancellor John Healey's fiscal statement indicates that the UK economy has lagged significantly behind potential growth trajectories since departure. According to data cited by NewsCord from the European Movement UK and the National Bureau for Economic Research, the UK has missed out on between £180bn and £240bn of economic growth, while campaign group Best for Britain estimates a shortfall on annual tax receipts of about £40bn.

Simultaneously, the administration is preparing to commit substantial domestic funding to tackle homelessness. According to Newswav, Chancellor John Healey will use his Budget statement to confirm an additional financial package of £432m aimed at addressing rough sleeping, doubling the existing support pot of £442m committed earlier in the year. The funding will allow the rough sleeping programme to continue until the end of the current parliament in 2029, supporting the prime minister's pledge to offer every rough sleeper in England a pathway off the streets by Christmas. Official annual national statistics estimated there were 4,793 people sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2025 in England. While charities such as Shelter and corporate partners including the National Housing Federation, L’Oréal Group, and Virgin Media O2 have welcomed the coordination, opposition critics such as Shadow housing secretary Katie Lam questioned past regional records on housing in Greater Manchester.

What to Watch Next

• Chancellor John Healey's upcoming Budget statement on Wednesday, which will confirm the £432m rough sleeping funding package alongside fiscal announcements.
• High-level diplomatic meetings scheduled in Brussels, where Prime Minister Andy Burnham will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other EU chiefs on November 20.
• Ongoing parliamentary debate concerning manifesto commitments, constitutional parameters, and future bilateral frameworks.