Keir Starmer has been accused of plotting a “genuine sell out” to the European Union by Britain’s former Brexit negotiator. The warning comes after the Prime Minister refused to make a key guarantee about his planned Youth Mobility Scheme with Brussels yesterday.
Speaking in Albania, Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly refused to guarantee that the planned free movement sell out will see the number who can participate each year capped. Brussels has been resisting calls for a cap by Britain’s Home Office, who are concerned about the damage an uncapped scheme would do to their plans to bring down net migration. The proposed scheme would allow EU citizens under the age of 35 to come to the UK to work or study, possibly for up to four years.
Keir Starmer is set to sell out Brexit with a youth mobility scheme (Image: Getty)
He merely said: “We have to respect the outcome of the referendum and that’s the framework in which we have been negotiating.”
Reacting to the failure to guarantee a cap, Britain’s former Brexit negotiator Lord Frost warned such a deal would be a “genuine sell out”.
He fumed: “The Government has been so dishonest about its approach that it’s entirely possible this is expectation management – they *have* agreed a cap and just want to present it as a negotiating triumph.”
“But a mobility deal without a cap would be a genuine sell out. There are about 80 million Europeans in this age range. However tight the conditions, it would risk opening the flood gates.”
Lord Frost said the giveaway would be a ‘genuine sell out’ (Image: Getty)
Labour is facing widespread attack from Brexiteers over their Youth Mobility Scheme plan, which they initially strenuously denied they were negotiating.
Three weeks ago, shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp blasted: “Be in no doubt, this is just another attempt by Labour to betray Brexit and reopen the door to uncontrolled and unlimited immigration. Every time Labour negotiates, Britain loses.”
Meanwhile, former home secretary Suella Braverman, an ardent Brexiteer, told the Express the planned sell-out is merely the “thin end of the wedge”.
She warned: “The British people voted to take back control and end free movement of people. This agreement is the thin end of the wedge and the continuation of the Brexit betrayal.
“Labour never accepted the result of the referendum and are determined to see us return into the clutches of the European Union by stealth.”
Former business secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg added: “This is part of Labour’s attempt to get the UK back into the EU, but it is giving free movement a different name in an attempt to con British voters.”
He warned: “The Conservatives must promise to annul any deal of this kind and control migration regardless of where it is coming from.”
Speaking to The Sun, Sir Keir also refused to rule out “dynamic alignment” on standards, which would see the UK accept Brussels laws without any say over them.
Rachel Reeves told do these 3 things as UK economy in chaos after tax hikes
Rachel Reeves has been told to change tack (Image: Getty)
An expert has told Rachel Reeves to do three things as business momentum has “slowed to a crawl” due to tax hikes after intially growing by 0.7% in the first quarter of this year. The Chancellor’s policies have been compounded by the international trade environment after global tariffs were imposed by US President Donald Trump, they added. Muniya Barua, Deputy Chief Executive of BusinessLDN, said: “It’s welcome the economy made a strong start to the year but this momentum has since slowed to a crawl as hikes to employment costs and the uncertainty caused by global tariffs hit business confidence.
“Next month’s Spending Review marks a defining moment for this Government and its growth mission. The Chancellor should focus funding on measures that will deliver rapid payback for the economy, crowd-in additional investment and provide businesses with the certainty they need to make long-term decisions.”
The Chancellor has hailed data suggesting the economy grew by 0.7% in Q1 (Image: Getty)
Ms Barua then recommended that Ms Reeves changes her approach, urging her to do three specific things.
She said: “Re-instating VAT-free shopping for international visitors, providing Transport for London and its £11billion supply chain with a long-term funding deal and establishing a more ambitious Affordable Homes Programme would all send a clear message that the UK is open for business in an uncertain world.”
Officials, including the capital’s Labour Mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, have for years called on the government to provide London’s transport authority with longer term funding so that it can plough on with important infrastruture projects.
The Express’ sister site MyLondon asked Ms Reeves in April last year whether she would guarantee cash for large infrastructure projects in London, such as extensions to the Bakerloo line and Elizabeth line and Crossrail 2, the successor to the Elizabeth line.
She said: “Of course I want to see the investment in infrastructure our country needs to grow after 14 years of mismanagement.
“But we have to always show where the money is going to come from, and we need to grow the economy to be able to release funds for crucial infrastructure investment.”
The then-Shadow Chancellor added: “I’ve set out a clear set of fiscal rules, that we would get debt falling by the fifth year of a forecast period, and we would balance day to day spending with tax receipts, and then, subject to that, invest in the things, the infrastructure investment, that we need to grow our economy.”
