Labour’s largest signal but EU youth mobility scheme is coming | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Labour is accused of plotting a “Brexit betrayal” by getting ready to enroll to a youth mobility scheme with the European Union. Brexiteers worry the Government is “selling us out” and the scheme will probably be a “foot in the door” for the return of freedom of motion.

EU leaders will converge on London for a summit on May 19 and European relations minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has confirmed the Government is a deal that may enable younger folks from member states to come back to the UK and vice versa.

Mr Thomas-Symonds advised the Financial Times a “smart, controlled youth mobility scheme would of course have benefits for our young people”.

David Campbell Bannerman, a former MEP and ex-deputy chief of UKIP who now chairs the Conservative Democratic Organisation, warned: “An EU mobility scheme has been pushed by the EU, not the UK – we gain little benefit. This is all part of a planned charade leading up to the unnecessary and damaging reset.

“It is a Brexit betrayal and takes us back to EU free movement. Don’t forget, another 10 countries aim to join the EU – mostly poorer ones – who could then exploit this scheme and push up the numbers to the UK.

“This is a foot in the door for free movement which the British people so decisively rejected in the referendum. Labour are selling us out because they don’t believe in Brexit.”

Mr Thomas-Symonds identified 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 requested if he feared a backlash from Reform UK and the Conservatives, he stated: “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.”

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”.

Brexiteers will even be appalled if the Government commits to reflect UK requirements on meals and animal welfare.

Mr Thomas-Symonds stated the Government is “not interested” in a “race to the bottom on standards”.

When requested if a youth mobility scheme will probably be time-limited and whether or not numbers will probably be capped, he stated: “We will consider sensible EU proposals in this space.”