𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Britain will never forgive Sir Keir Starmer if his Government grants EU citizens a “blanket right” to come to this country, a former Brexit minister has warned. The Prime Minister met with European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen yesterday amid reports the Government may back a youth visa deal with the EU as it seeks to reset relations with the bloc.

Brussels is demanding the UK agrees to a youth mobility scheme and preparations are underway for a landmark summit on May 19. More than 60 Labour MPs have put their name to a letter calling for a “new and bespoke youth visa scheme for UK and EU citizens aged under 30”. Former Brexit minister David Jones warned the PM of the consequences of rolling back Brexit.

He said: “Keir Starmer, the man who never accepted Brexit and pressed for a second referendum, is at it again. Only days after he was happily considering giving away our fishery rights in exchange for a security pact with the EU, he now wants to loosen our control of our borders still further.

“Access to the UK should be considered on a case-by-case basis. There should be no blanket right of entry. The British people will never forgive him if he surrenders on such a crucial issue.”

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned: “Labour Ministers should stop trying to unpick Brexit by the back door, especially when its not in the national interest. Keir Starmer continually said he’d put party before country, but all he’s done since getting in is exactly the opposite.

“It seems he’s determined to usher in a period of unlimited migration – just as he’s always wanted since campaigning energetically for a second referendum with free movement of people.”

Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice predicted a youth mobility scheme would be a “backdoor to free movement of people from the EU”.

He said: “This is not a government that can be trusted on Brexit. We cannot forget that this cabinet actively opposed Brexit and, in the case of Keir Starmer, actively campaigned to overturn the democratic decision of more than 17 million people.”

However, German ambassador Miguel Berger described the benefits of a scheme which would allow young Britons to live and work in the EU and vice versa.

He told the UK Trade and Business Commission: “I think it is such a positive thing that we work for the possibility of young people having this experience and I always try to push back against the notion that this has anything to do with migration because the young people would come here, stay a certain time and then go home so it has nothing to do with migration into the United Kingdom.”

Ben Ramanauskas of the Policy Exchange think tank warned against going down a “slippery slope” with the EU.

He said: “While a mobility scheme similar to the one with Australia which is restricted to workers only could be acceptable, there is a danger that a scheme with the EU will go beyond this narrow focus and so would put the UK on a slippery slope. Any scheme which gives people access to benefits, student loans, or the right to remain in the country beyond a limited time period would be a betrayal of Brexit.”

Sir Keir described the European Commission president as his friend, saying: “In a world which seems increasingly unstable with an uncertain future, it is so good that we are working so closely together on so many issues.”

Ms von der Leyen suggested talks with the PM could “pave the way” to the UK joining a European security programme.