Starmer and Spanish PM 'talk about under-30s freedom of movement scheme' in meeting of EU leaders

28 July 2024, 16:57

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has reportedly talked about the possibility of a youth mobility scheme with Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez.

Earlier this month the Spaniard put the proposal to Starmer during a private meeting at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that Starmer did not reject the idea, and told Sánchez he would consider it.

In recent years there have been increased calls for a scheme that would allow young people to live, study or work in the EU for a limited amount of time.

Back in April, Rishi Sunak rejected an offer from the European Commission that would have granted people aged 18 to 30 free movement for up to four years.

At the time Labour said it had no plans for a similar scheme, but that it would "seek to improve the UK's working relationship with the EU within our red lines."

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According to Labour's most recent general election manifesto, there will be "no return to...freedom of movement."

But a bilateral deal with Spain would not break that pledge.

Currently the UK offers some form of youth mobility with 13 non-EU countries, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand, as well as Japan, Iceland and Uruguay.

The current schemes differ from freedom of movement, because they typically still require applicants to get a visa, give sufficient evidence of having money to support themselves, and need to pay a health service surcharge.

A government spokesperson told the Telegraph: “We have been clear that we won’t rejoin the single market, customs union or reintroduce freedom of movement, and we are not considering a youth mobility scheme.”

Back in January, London mayor Sadiq Khan pushed for a deal that would give young people the chance to move freely to and from the EU, explaning that it would help alleviate some of the cultural and economic damage from Brexit.

He said the current Brexit deal had “done damage right across London and it is young people who have been hardest hit in so many ways”.