UK officials discussing options including free movement with EU ahead of summit

Business secretary says focus for November summit will be trade and youth mobility, but talks will also include ‘future options for relationship’

British officials have begun discussions with the EU about a long-term relationship that could include a return to free movement, the business secretary has said while promising the British people “are the boss” when it comes to what the UK will accept.

Jonathan Reynolds said the focus for British negotiations was the EU summit in November to seal an agreement to ease some trading restrictions and a youth mobility deal. But he said the prime minister, Andy Burnham, had made it clear he wanted to see a long-term and stable relationship with the bloc.

“They will be talking to them about what the future options for our relationship might be. But here and now, the focus should be on the summit and the tangible difference improvements we’re going to make,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

He said the changes announced at the EU summit, including a food and drink deal and on emissions trading, would make a significant difference. But he added: “What the prime minister has also said, quite rightly, is we face a series of policy changes on the European side that will affect us, and we need to get as little uncertainty as possible.

“We need to have a way to resolve what our long-term relationship will be, and he is going to set that out after the summit. And he is going to be frank with the British people about what the trade-offs are.”