The Prime Minister wants an “honest discussion” about free movement with the EU. He wants it to be “factual” and “evidence-based.” Nobody has yet asked him to define any of those words.
Officials are expected to begin talks on a range of options before next month’s summit. A range of options is what you say when you have not picked one and would like the press to stop asking.
The door has been left open to a referendum. It is a very large door, and it is being held open by a lectern.
In government usage, honest now means we have a list of options and will tell you which one after the photograph. Factual means the facts are being gathered now, by people who already know the answer.
Is this honest? Technically, it is a discussion. Technically.
The word “evidence” appeared three times in the announcement. The phrase “free movement” appeared once, inside a quotation, which is the closest the document comes to admitting what it is about.