A Cabinet consensus is building around supporting a youth mobility scheme that contains a cap on the number of people allowed
Senior Political Correspondent
A post-Brexit migration deal for under-30s is inching closer to being signed off by Cabinet – as ministers coalesce around an agreement that includes a cap on numbers.
A so-called “youth mobility” deal to allow people to live and work abroad for a limited period has been a key demand from the European Union under the Brexit reset talks with the Labour government.
Ministers had initially maintained there were “no plans” for a bloc-wide agreement of this kind but support is mounting among Cabinet for a deal so long as numbers are capped, The i Paper understands.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves became the latest minister to give her public backing to such a scheme over the weekend.
Reeves said she wanted to see young people have the freedom to travel and live between the UK and EU and indicated some form of agreement could be unveiled at next month’s Brexit reset summit.
She told The Times: “We’re going to bring down net migration and we aren’t going to return to freedom of movement. But we are hosting the summit next month.
“We do want to see better trading relationships between our countries and we do want to enable young people from Europe and the UK to be able to work and travel overseas.
“But we’ve got to get the balance right, because I do not want to see net migration increasing. I want to see net migration falling.”
Her remarks came after the German ambassador to the UK said last week he was “really optimistic” about the prospects of a deal, following talks between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen.
Diplomatic sources said EU member states were open to considering a cap on numbers in order to get a deal over the line.
Brussels had initially proposed a scheme for UK and EU citizens aged between 18 and 30 to stay for up to four years in their chosen country and a compromise agreement is now being sought.
A No10 source would not be drawn on the details of any deal and pointed to the Chancellor’s comments.
Ministers have been cautious about committing to a policy that could appear too loose regarding migration numbers.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is believed to be concerned about how such a deal could impact het promise to reduce migration.
And Reeves’ comments indicate any agreement would only be signed off by Cabinet if there was a mechanism to control the number of people coming to the UK.
Sources close to Cooper said last week that she had not proposed a specific policy, such as a cap, but did not deny that she was open to agreeing to a scheme if it had restricted numbers.
More than 60 Labour backbenchers recently called for “a new and bespoke youth visa scheme” to allow for easier travel for younger citizens.
In a letter to Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister in charge of negotiations with the EU, MPs and peers called for “a new and bespoke youth visa scheme” for UK and European citizens under 30.
The UK already has similar deals allowing citizens from other countries, usually those under the age of 30, to live and work abroad for a limited period of time.