Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham recently voiced significant criticism regarding the current state of Brexit, arguing that the reality of the UK's departure from the European Union has not aligned with the promises made during the referendum campaign. Burnham asserted that the economic consequences have been detrimental and that the existing deal is insufficient for the needs of the British public.

Burnham specifically highlighted that the UK has ended up with a 'harder Brexit' than what was originally proposed to voters. Furthermore, he addressed the ongoing issue of small boat crossings, suggesting that Brexit has hindered the government's ability to manage borders effectively, as the UK no longer has the same mechanisms to return individuals to European countries. Despite these criticisms, Burnham indicated that he does not support seeking major changes to the Brexit arrangement within the current parliament. He also expressed support for the Home Secretary’s recent efforts to implement stricter immigration policies.

While Burnham’s comments focus on the perceived failures of the current deal, the report does not include a counter-perspective from government officials or proponents of the current Brexit implementation. The discourse centers on the gap between referendum-era promises and the current economic and administrative reality, though the scope of the criticism is limited to Burnham's specific policy stance.