Keir Starmer’s latest European Union negotiations could have Remainers celebrating. That’s because the EU reportedly looks set to demand Britain rejoins the Erasmus scheme which allows students to swap places with others in an international exchange.
The prime minister is chasing a Brexit ‘reset’ with the EU over trade, defence and security ahead of a summit in London on May 19, where a new UK-EU partnership is set to be unveiled. European relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has confirmed the Government is looking at a deal that would allow young people from member states to come to the UK and vice versa, but an insider says Downing Street doesn’t want to rejoin Erasmus at present.
A diplomatic source told The Telegraph that a large group of nations in the bloc made the demands amid frustrations over Britain’s stance regarding proposals for a youth mobility scheme. According to the newspaper, the demands represent a hardening of conditions over deals Britain and the EU are negotiating.
The EU has been looking for guarantees that any youth mobility scheme would see its students paying the same tuition fees as Brits, with the outlet previously reporting that the level of fees for tuition were a major sticking point.
An EU diplomat told The Telegraph that Erasmus “has become key for a large number of member states”.
They added: “The UK is, indeed, pushing back on Erasmus [membership]… they only want youth mobility with caps for now.”
It’s thought the demands could complicate talks ahead of upcoming summit, where leaders are hoping to announce new deals in various sectors, including animal health and fisheries.
Confirmation that Downing Street was looking at a youth mobility deal prompted a furious backlash from the Conservatives and Reform UK, with Tory Shadow Business and Trade Secretary Andrew Griffith saying: “After almost a year of denial – the mask has slipped: Labour is pursuing a youth mobility scheme with the EU.
“It should come as no surprise, Keir Starmer is an arch-Remainer who campaigned for a second referendum with free movement of people. It looks like he’s finally getting his way by the back door.
“Yet again, he is selling the country down the river so he can cosy up to his beloved EU after saying he would do the opposite. You can’t trust a word he says.”
Meanwhile, Reform MP Lee Anderson said: “This Labour government’s disregard for the British public knows no bounds. The economy is faltering, and their solution is to slash visa requirements.
“They’ve crippled the economy through reckless net zero policies and endless tax hikes. They claim to be tough on immigration, yet continue to throw open our borders. The hypocrisy is unmatched.”
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is pushing for a “balanced youth mobility scheme between the UK and EU, covering school visits and exchanges, and a time-limited ability to work for young people”.
But John Longworth, a former director-general of the BCC who now chairs the Independent Business Network, warned that “allowing mobility for youth is to open the flood gates to immigration”.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Thomas-Symonds said a “smart, controlled youth mobility scheme would of course have benefits for our young people”.
He noted that Britain has mobility schemes with Australia and Uruguay, saying: “Nobody is suggesting any of those scheme, smart and controlled, are about freedom of movement.”
And when asked if he feared a backlash from Reform UK and the Conservatives, he said: “This is a package for which we have a strong mandate from the British people. We need to move on from the debates of the past – this is forward-looking.
“It’s where the European continent is in the mid-2020s, not where it was in 2016.”
Brexiteers will also be appalled if the Government commits to mirror UK standards on food and animal welfare.
Mr Thomas-Symonds said the Government is “not interested” in a “race to the bottom on standards”.
When asked if a youth mobility scheme will be time-limited and whether numbers will be capped, he said: “We will consider sensible EU proposals in this space.”