The EU’s former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has told the BBC the United Kingdom cannot “cherry pick” which elements of the single market it wants to adopt, warning that any move to rejoin the bloc’s internal market would require accepting the free movement of people and other conditions. His remarks come as Prime Minister Andy Burnham explores options for closer economic ties with Europe, including possible re-entry into the single market, though he has ruled out significant changes before the next election.
Barnier, speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, said there is not a “single market à la carte” menu from which the UK could pick and choose what elements to adopt. He insisted that any move to rejoin the single market, which allows goods to be traded freely without border controls, would require the UK to follow the same terms as other members, including compliance with rules promoting the free circulation of goods, services, capital and people, known as the EU’s “four freedoms”.
“There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other,” Barnier said. “The four freedoms are clearly the four conditions to be inside a single market.”
Since becoming prime minister in July, Burnham has suggested he could commit Labour to pursuing a much closer future relationship with Europe, including asking to rejoin the EU as a full member, but has said he will not make major changes before the next general election. He has also said he would not re-establish free movement of people without a referendum, and Downing Street has clarified he is not advocating its return at this point. Both sides are hoping to use a meeting in Brussels in 10 days to unveil deals on food standards, youth visas and re-linking British industry to the EU’s carbon trading regime.
Barnier also predicted that EU countries would reject reinstating the British financial rebate, first negotiated in 1985, that lowered UK contributions towards the EU’s annual budget while it was a member. The UK’s departure had created “a new situation”, he said, meaning a new rebate would be “off the table”.
The former negotiator compared Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to French politician Marine Le Pen. “We have our own Farage. It is Mrs Le Pen. The same populism, the same lies, the same false promises,” Barnier said. He said Farage and Johnson’s promise that the UK would get back £350 million a week was not true, calling it “a lie”. Farage, who was not part of the Vote Leave campaign, responded: “It is the same old Barnier – arrogant, out of touch and a bully. He vindicates our decision to leave every time he opens his mouth.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The UK’s relationship with the EU remains a defining political and economic issue six years after Brexit, with potential major implications for trade, immigration and sovereignty.
- Burnham’s push for closer ties signals a possible shift in Labour’s post-Brexit stance, but any move to rejoin the single market would require accepting free movement of people, a politically sensitive issue.
- The upcoming Brussels summit will test whether the UK and EU can agree on practical deals on food standards, youth mobility and carbon trading, setting the tone for future negotiations.
Background
The UK left the EU in 2020 under the terms of a trade and cooperation agreement negotiated by Boris Johnson’s government. Since then, successive UK governments have sought to manage the economic consequences of leaving the single market and customs union. Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who took office in July 2026, has said he wants to explore “different options” for a closer relationship with Europe, including the possibility of rejoining the single market or the EU itself, but has ruled out major changes before the next election. Michel Barnier, a former French prime minister, led the EU’s Brexit negotiating team from 2016 to 2021.
Key Perspectives
Michel Barnier (former EU Brexit negotiator): Insists the UK cannot pick and choose single market rules; the four freedoms, including free movement of people, are non-negotiable conditions. Says a British financial rebate is “off the table”. Accuses Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson of making “false promises and lies” during the Brexit campaign.
Andy Burnham (Prime Minister, UK): Has said he wants to lay out “different options” for the EU relationship at the Brussels summit and find a consensus with the British public, but has ruled out major changes before the next election and would not re-establish free movement without a referendum.
Nigel Farage (Reform UK leader): Calls Barnier “arrogant, out of touch and a bully”, saying his warnings vindicate the decision to leave the EU.
What to Watch
- The outcome of the Brussels summit in 10 days, where the UK and EU hope to unveil deals on food standards, youth visas and carbon trading.
- Whether Burnham’s government signals any willingness to reopen the question of free movement of people, and how that plays with voters and the opposition.
- How EU member states respond to any UK request for single market re-entry, particularly on the issue of the four freedoms.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedBarnier warned that the UK cannot “cherry pick” elements of the single market.BBC News: “The EU's former Brexit negotiator has warned that the UK cannot "cherry pick" which elements of the single market to which it subscribes”
- SupportedBarnier said the four freedoms are inseparable.BBC News: “"There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other. The four freedoms are clearly the four conditions to be inside a single market."”
- SupportedBurnham is exploring closer ties with Europe, including possible single-market re-entry, but has ruled out major changes before the next election.BBC News: “The prime minister has said rejoining the bloc’s internal market was among options he could pursue”
- SupportedBarnier said there was no “single market à la carte” menu for the UK to choose from.BBC News: “He said there was not a "single market à la carte" menu from which the UK could pick and choose what elements it wanted to adopt.”
- SupportedRejoining the single market would require the UK to accept free movement of people and other conditions.BBC News: “EU members would insist on the UK readopting certain conditions, such as the free movement of people, to gain access.”
- SupportedBarnier said, “There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other. The four freedoms are clearly the four conditions to be inside a single market.”BBC News: “"There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other. The four freedoms are clearly the four conditions to be inside a single market."”
- SupportedBurnham said he would not re-establish free movement without a referendum, and Downing Street said he was not advocating its return at this point.BBC News: “Burnham recently said in an interview that he would not re-establish free movement of people without a referendum, prompting Downing Street to clarify that he was not advocating its return at this point.”
- Partly supportedA Brussels meeting was 10 days away when the story says both sides hoped to unveil deals there.BBC News: “Both sides are hoping to use a meeting in Brussels in 10 days' time to unveil deals on food standards, youth visas and re-linking British industry to the EU's carbon trading regime”
- SupportedBarnier predicted EU countries would reject reinstating the British rebate, first negotiated in 1985, and said a new rebate would be “off the table.”BBC News: “Barnier also predicted that EU countries would reject reinstating the British financial rebate, first negotiated in 1985”
- SupportedBarnier compared Farage with Marine Le Pen, saying, “The same populism, the same lies, the same false promises.”BBC News: “"We have our own Farage. It is Mrs Le Pen. The same populism, the same lies, the same false promises."”
- SupportedBarnier said Farage and Johnson had promised the UK would get back £350 million a week, called it untrue and said, “It was a lie.”BBC News: “"for instance, when Mr Farage and Mr Johnson promised the UK people to get back [£350] million per week, it was not true, it was not possible. It was a lie"”
- SupportedFarage responded, “It is the same old Barnier – arrogant, out of touch and a bully. He vindicates our decision to leave every time he opens his mouth.”BBC News: “"It is the same old Barnier - arrogant, out of touch and a bully. He vindicates our decision to leave every time he opens his mouth."”