Sir Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure to agree a youth free-movement deal with the EU, as Tory MPs and peers join calls for the agreement.
It comes as the prime minister heads to Brussels to meet the EU’s 27 leaders on Monday, the first time a British PM has held talks with the whole bloc since Brexit.
But, in a move that will limit Sir Keir’s negotiating hand ahead of the talks, Yvette Cooper on Sunday came out in staunch opposition to a scheme, saying it would push up net migration figures. The home secretary said “net migration needs to come down, that is why this is not an approach we are looking for”.
The European Commission has made a youth mobility scheme a key demand amid Sir Keir’s post-Brexit reset with Brussels after years of tense relations under successive Conservative administrations.
The proposal, which has become a major sticking point between the UK and EU, would likely mirror similar arrangements Britain already has with countries including Australia and Japan and would allow 18 to 35-year-olds to move and work freely between countries for up to two years.
But the prime minister has repeatedly ruled out striking such an agreement with the EU, saying there will be no return to free movement.
The bloc has been piling pressure on the PM to bend on the issue in recent months, and members of the typically more Eurosceptic Tory party are backing calls for the agreement.
Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate, a Tory Peer and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Europe, urged Sir Keir to “turn warm words into action” in his reset of relations with the bloc.
“Youth mobility schemes don’t just open doors for individuals—they strengthen industries, foster cultural exchange, and build trust between nations”, he told The Independent.
“The absence of a youth mobility scheme is now widely recognised as a serious omission by stakeholders across business, labour, and the third sector.
“Agreeing to such a scheme would be a critical step in restoring trust and rebuilding a UK-EU relationship that drives economic growth and bolsters security in an increasingly interconnected – and unpredictable – world.”
Former Tory health minister and chair of the Conservative European Forum Stephen Hammond also urged the prime minister to rethink his approach to Europe, saying a youth mobility scheme should be a priority.
Mr Hammond said the government’s failure to “make any progress on this issue reflects the wider incoherence and inconsistency of its approach to Europe, which seems to lack any strategic direction”.
He told The Independent: “Youth mobility should be a priority for the UK in reviewing its relationship with the EU, as it will create new opportunities for young people and support many small businesses, particularly in the hospitality sector.
“We are concerned that the failure of the Government to make any progress on this issue reflects the wider incoherence and inconsistency of its approach to Europe, which seems to lack any strategic direction.
“Keir Starmer could be building on the achievements of Rishi Sunak in negotiating the Windsor Agreement, but instead after five months in office the Government still has not laid out a clear vision of its policy towards the EU, not only on a youth mobility partnership but also more widely.”
Tory MP Roger Gale said “the more that young people are able to travel, indeed worldwide but particularly within the EU, the better”, saying it would be a mistake to equate freedom of movement generally with youth free movement.
“Is there a problem with EU university students studying in UK university? No, they contribute heavily to both university finances and also culture.
“I think that the fewer obstructions to exchanges between students of school age the better.
“Particularly in East Kent, I know we have lost visits from some schools that traditionally have had a strong relationship with the UK, particularly from France because it’s just across the channel. It can only enhance understanding between nations.”
David Simmonds, Tory MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner called on the PM to build on existing links with EU countries to “make it easier for young people to live and work around Europe”.
While the prime minister has repeatedly insisted the UK will not rejoin the bloc within his lifetime, he has pledged to “make Brexit work” by renegotiating the deal agreed upon by Boris Johnson and pursue closer co-operation, particularly on defence, security and trade.
But, speaking to Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Ms Cooper said: “[A youth mobility scheme] is not the right starting point for us at all, because what we need to do is bring net migration down.”
Hitting back, Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said: “The Government’s refusal to negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the EU is short-sighted and a bitter blow to young people across the UK.”
Despite Downing Street’s objections to the agreement, the issue is expected to be on the EU’s agenda for the first summit of 2025.
In December, European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds gave the first indication that the government may be prepared to make a concession.
Speaking to the Lords’ European affairs committee, he said: “It’s for the EU to finalise proposals it wants to put on the table. It depends on what precisely you mean by youth mobility.”
But just days later, No 10 reiterated that there were “no plans for a youth mobility scheme” and they would not give a running commentary on talks with the EU.
Downing Street added that when it came to school trips: “As a general principle we remain open to having these conversations at a bilateral level”.
A government spokesperson said: “This government is resetting its relationship with the EU and wants to strengthen cooperation, to make people safer and tackle barriers to trade, to help drive economic growth.
“We have been clear that there will be no return to the customs union, single market or freedom of movement. The UK Government will always work to protect the interests of our fishers.”
