Keir Starmer has ruled out bringing back free movement of people between Britain and the European Union, declaring it a “red line” for Labour if the party takes power. The Labour leader said free movement “won’t come back” under his government, arguing that Brexit has already happened and “ripping up” the deal would lead to years of further wrangling with Brussels.
Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, Starmer also dismissed a “Swiss-style” arrangement with the EU, which would grant access to the single market but require more generous immigration rules. Such a deal “simply wouldn’t work for Britain”, he said, adding that freedom of movement “was part of the deal of being in the EU but since we left I’ve been clear it won’t come back under my government.”
The stance marks a shift from January 2020, when Starmer, then a candidate for the Labour leadership, indicated he would bring back free movement, saying: “I want families to be able to live together, whether that’s in Europe or here … We have to make the case for freedom of movement.” His spokesperson later said he had supported free movement only while negotiations were ongoing, and that leaving the EU had resolved the matter.
Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy defended the party’s position, claiming Labour had always argued free movement could work only if aligned with investment in skills and opportunities for young people in Britain. She told Sky News there was “no appetite” in the EU or the UK to reopen negotiations, adding: “We’ve divided amongst ourselves for nearly a decade now … and this country’s got to move forwards.”
Nandy called for a “sensible” immigration approach that prioritises investing in young people to fill labour shortages, while recognising immigration’s “significant contribution” when there are short-term gaps in the market. She criticised the government’s policies as “back-of-a-fag-packet” and urged a serious plan to address labour shortages.
