Do Makerfield folk agree with prime minister Andy Burnham's claims that public opinion has changed on Brexit?

Prime minister Andy Burnham claimed that public opinion on Brexit “has changed” in Makerfield since the EU referendum.

In June, the then-Greater Manchester mayor won the by-election in the constituency where just over 10 years ago two thirds voted to leave the EU.

During this summer’s election campaign, he gave assurances that he would not “re-run” the Brexit debate.

But since becoming PM, Mr Burnham has spoken about a “closer relationship” with the EU.

In an ITV documentary on Tuesday night he was asked if he had gone to his constituents to see if they wanted to bring back freedom of movement.

Mr Burnham insisted he had not proposed bringing such a policy back.

He added: “I do believe that we should have an honest discussion with people about how immigration has changed since the Brexit vote.

“I noticed in the middle of the by-election that public opinion had changed in the Makerfield constituency over those 10 years. I think public opinion has changed nationally.”

In Ashton, people out and about on Gerard Street had mixed feelings about the Brexit debate, more than a decade since the referendum.

June Parker, 41, from Winstanley, said “there’s no point” re-opening the debate.

She said: “My views haven’t changed a bit. I voted leave then and would do the same tomorrow.

“We needed to go our own way and instead of talking about old arguments he would be better tackling the things that really matter like energy costs and immigration.”

Mr Burnham did not provide any statistics to show how his constituents would vote in another referendum on the EU.

Alison Matthews, 56, from Ashton also voted leave in 2016 and agreed that many people in the area had changed their views, saying she had “voter regret” about her decision.

“We’ve now got an MP, a prime minister who the majority of people here in Makerfield backed,” she said.

“I think it’s right that the discussion about Europe is ongoing.

“It’s my belief that there was manipulation and distortion of the facts put before the public before the Brexit vote.

“I would say people may have made a different choice if the facts and true impacts of such a decision had been put to them instead of the arguments which were made at the time.

“It was a huge decision and I just don’t think the consequences were presented honestly.”

John Bullough, 53, from Hindley, said: “I think we should never have left the EU in the first place so you know which way I voted.

“That being said, a democratic decision was made in a referendum, so I don’t see any point in returning to the debate.”

This week, the UK and EU have agreed a draft deal on removing post-Brexit checks from food and agriculture exports.

Mr Burnham said the public will expect the Government to pursue the opportunity to boost economic growth through closer trade ties with the EU.

He defended plans to accept a new agreement with Brussels on food and farming.

He said: “I think people in Britain would expect me to take that with both hands, given where we’ve been in recent times, and that’s what I’m doing.

“We’re not in the EU, therefore, we do have to work with them in a different way.

“But if that can get growth, if that can help our farmers, if that can remove red tape from British businesses, I think most people would expect me to go to that summit and negotiate the best deal that I can.”

Callum Fearon, 38, an accountant from Ashton, said: “I think I know what Andy Burnham’s getting at.

“Yes the referendum voted to leave the EU but that shouldn’t stop us getting deals done with them. They’re our neighbours.

“It’s important that measures on trade, imports and exports between us and Europe are as easy as they can be.

“Without unravelling our status outside the EU it’s just common sense to achieve things that make the economy stronger and create growth.”

Mike Wadsworth, 77, from Abram, is of the opinion that the move away from the EU “wasn’t implemented strongly enough”.

He said: “We needed to be stronger on immigration, control our borders and get proper sovereignty, to me that was what leaving was about.

“There’s no point getting closer to the EU, those countries are in the proverbial at the moment too.”

Mr Burnham also wants to lock in deals on food and drink, emissions trading and a youth mobility scheme at a Brussels summit on November 20.

According to the prime minister, the treasury had confirmed in recent days that the agreements under negotiation ahead of the summer could raise GDP by 0.4 per cent – up from the previous estimate of 0.3 per cent.

Mr Burnham also said this week that he was taking a “new approach” to Europe, the Commonwealth and “overseas matters”.

At the top of a bilateral meeting with Ghanaian president John Mahama, the prime minister said: “As the incoming prime minister in the UK, I’ve been seeking to take a new approach on overseas matters.

“We’ve developed a new approach with the foreign secretary who’s here, Ed Miliband, in relation to the Middle East, Israel and Palestine.

“A new approach on Europe, but we’re also bringing a new approach to the Commonwealth, and we’re grateful for the welcome that you gave to the structured dialogue, and we want to work closely with you to make sure we get that right. So Ed and I are hugely grateful.”