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PMQs: Burnham defends EU red lines before Budget
PMQs on Wednesday 28 October brought a clash over Brexit and free movement before John Healey began delivering the Budget. Kemi Badenoch pressed Andy Burnham to clarify whether he wanted another referendum, while the prime minister said Labour’s manifesto red lines remained in place for this Parliament.
The exchanges matter because opening a debate about Britain’s relationship with the EU is not the same as announcing a change in policy. BBC and Guardian live reporting both describe Burnham defending efforts to secure a closer relationship while maintaining the existing limits.
PMQs: Badenoch presses on a referendum
Badenoch asked whether Burnham wanted a referendum on rejoining the EU and later pressed him to rule out a vote on the EU or single market. She argued that the country did not want to reopen the arguments surrounding Brexit.
Burnham said the manifesto red lines would stay. Those commitments rule out a return to free movement, the single market and a customs union. He also argued that the Conservatives had delivered a harder Brexit than voters had been promised.
That is a political dispute about the existing settlement and the government’s negotiating aims. It is not evidence that a new UK-EU agreement has been reached or that the rules on migration have changed.
Our earlier explanation of the free movement debate set out the distinction between discussing options, seeking a mandate and implementing a policy. Wednesday’s answers put the manifesto boundary back at the centre of that debate.
PMQs: a closer EU relationship, within limits
The Guardian reported Burnham pointing to an EU summit in three weeks as an opportunity to seek a better deal. He said business organisations supported efforts to improve the relationship.
Badenoch challenged the timing, asking why the prime minister had opened the free movement discussion during Budget week. She defended the referendum result and argued that voters should not have to go through the debate again.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey separately asked about joining the single market and customs union. The BBC reported Burnham replying that the government would not do those things in this Parliament.
That time limit is important. It describes the government’s stated position for the current Parliament, rather than settling every future question about Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Care, devolution and North Sea decisions
Davey also raised the proposed change to the carer’s allowance cliff edge. He welcomed the direction but criticised the timetable and asked to discuss how the system could make work pay for family carers. Burnham said he was prepared to meet him and wanted a cross-party consensus.
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts pressed the prime minister on economic powers for Wales. Burnham said he was ready to make an offer similar to Scotland’s, including greater devolution of employment support.
Reform MP Danny Kruger asked whether the Budget calculations assumed approval of the Rosebank field. Burnham described the decision as a matter for the energy secretary and a quasi-judicial process. That answer did not announce approval.
Energy had dominated last week’s PMQs exchanges over Jackdaw and gas standing charges. The questions on Wednesday continued that argument without replacing the separate decisions ministers must take.
Watch the official Parliament coverage
Official UK Parliament coverage of PMQs and the Budget on 28 October. This is the combined parliamentary stream, not a PMQs-only recording.
This report covers the PMQs exchanges on 28 October, before the Budget statement. Our earlier coverage of reported business rates plans is pre-Budget context, not confirmation of the final measures.
Sources: BBC live reporting, Guardian live reporting and the official UK Parliament stream. This report was first prepared from BBC and Guardian live reporting. The uncorrected Hansard transcript now confirms the exchanges and remains subject to correction.
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