The minister who will lead Keir Starmer’s negotiations in resetting the UK’s damaged relationship with the EU has hinted that the government is open to a major concession.
After rejecting plans for a youth mobility scheme agreement to allow under-30s to travel and work more easily between the UK and EU, European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has indicated that the government is now open to consider the proposal.
The youth mobility scheme is a top priority for the EU in the talks but had been consistantly rejected by the previous Tory government and then Sir Keir’s Labour government because they did not want to reopen the door to freedom of movement of people.
In a bid to see off claims of a “Brexit betrayal” Labour made concessions in its manifesto not to agreee to freedom of movement of people or to rejoin the EU, its single market or the customs union.
Many have seen that as a miscalculation from a party where the MPs including Sir Keir had fought to reverse the Brexit vote in the 2016 referendum.
And with Donald Trump set to return as US president in January there are fears that US tariffs will mean that the UK will be forced to choose a trade deal with America or look to a much closer relationship with the EU.
But speaking to the Lords’ European affairs committee, Mr Thomas-Symonds gave the first indication that the government is at last prepared to make a concession.
He spelt out the three pillars of their renegotiation strategy including a security and defence pact, reducing trade barrier and improving policing cooperation.
But the minister was then pressed on the youth mobility scheme which the commission in Brussels as well as the German government among others has made a priority.
Responding, Mr Thomas-Symonds 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.”
The comments were the clearest statement yet that the scheme is not ruled out and the Labour government is prepared to consider a plan as part of a concession to get a deal over the line.
