A video claiming that Prime Minister Andy Burnham has made a “major announcement” that “the UK has decided to rejoin the EU” is circulating on social media.
The video has been liked hundreds of times on Facebook and opens with an image of Mr Burnham shaking hands with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, with overlaid text saying “BREXIT U-TURN. DOORS OPEN FOR EUROPEAN CITIZENS.”
This is false. No announcement to rejoin the EU has been made. While Mr Burnham said in a recent interview that he would like to see the UK return to the EU in his lifetime, he ruled out rejoining before the next election.
He said: “I’m not proposing rejoining in this Parliament. We’re way, way away from that at this particular moment in time.”
He has also recently said he was open to having an “honest discussion” about the future of the UK’s relations with the EU, but denied having proposed a return to freedom of movement.
The video claims that a “significant u-turn” was prompted by Mr Burnham’s acknowledgement that “over the past decade, the UK has lost the effective control over its borders that it once possessed as a member of the EU”, before making a series of speculations over what the move would mean for EU citizens.
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It is true that Mr Burnham has criticised the previous government’s record on immigration after Brexit, saying it led to “an unprecedented spike in numbers”. And in a BBC interview, he discussed various potential options for the UK, ranging from “stay as we are” to joining a “customs union” or “single market”, or even going “all the way” to rejoining the EU.
But no announcement about rejoining the EU has been made.
The video also claims that the move means there will no longer be a salary threshold for EU citizens. No such change has been announced. The standard minimum salary for a Skilled Worker visa is currently £41,700, or the “going rate” for the job if higher, not £38,700 as claimed in the video—it changed from £38,700 to £41,700 in July 2025. Lower thresholds apply in some circumstances.
How have immigration rules changed for EU citizens?
Free movement for EU citizens ended after Brexit. EU citizens having moved to or living in the UK before 31 December 2020 could apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, which gave settled status (Indefinite Leave to Remain) after five continuous years of residence. Most EU citizens arriving since then need a visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa, to work in the UK.
On 2 November, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans to end the near-automatic right for migrants to apply for settled status after five years. Under the new policy, the timeframe to settle will depend on factors including earnings, occupation and compliance with immigration rules. The announcement concerned settlement and did not change the Skilled Worker salary threshold.
Misinformation can spread quickly on social media, so it’s important to consider whether what you are seeing is genuine before sharing—our misinformation toolkit can help.
