Starmer crawls back to the EU with visa-free deal for under-30s as Macron tells PM ‘Brexit has failed’ amidst US trade war
Sir Keir Starmer is opening discussions with the EU for visa-free travel for under-30s, with Emmanuel Macron telling the Prime Minister that “Brexit has failed”.
An updated youth visa scheme would allow 18 to 30-year-olds in the UK to live, work and study abroad, and the EU has maintained that without “free movement for young people” returning, relations between the two is unlikely to reset.
Whilst Yvette Cooper has said previously that the scheme is not on the table, behind the scenes, both sides have indicated that they would be willing to compromise.
A senior UK government source said: “There aren’t any specific proposals on the table around youth mobility. Obviously, we will look at anything that the European Union does put forward.”
Starmer will appear at an EU summit dinner today, in a bid to try and reset relations with the bloc. He is the first UK prime minister to attend an EU summit dinner since Brexit in 2020.
Senior diplomats in France have said that Starmer is the “demandeur,” who is trying to reset relations with the bloc due to a failed Brexit coupled with instability thanks to the return of Donald Trump.
Macron is expected to tell Starmer that Brexit “didn’t work”. A senior diplomat said: “We thought it wouldn’t work because the UK is European, geographically and economically. Brexit was a project for a stable and prosperous world, but in a complicated world, obviously the UK will be closer to Europe.”
Trump is preparing to impose tariffs on the EU though has indicated that the UK could be spared if a deal with Starmer is “worked out”.
Though the President did say that the UK is acting “way out of line so we’ll see”.
FOLLOW BELOW FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY…
The UK has ‘every reason to look forward’ to positive trading relationship with US, minister says
The UK has “every reason to look forward” to a positive trading relationship with the US, a minister has said.
As Donald Trump threatened to extend his tariffs to Europe, education minister Catherine McKinnell told Times Radio: “We have a really strong trading relationship with the United States.
“Our trade is worth around £300 billion per year, we are the largest investors in one another’s economies – £1.2 trillion invested in each other’s economies.
“I think we have every reason to look forward to a positive future with the United States and trade.”
Starmer denies breaching Covid rules by hiring a voice coach in 2020
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of breaching Covid rules
PA
Sir Keir Starmer is facing accusations that he breached Covid rules by hiring a voice coach in 2020.
He reportedly employed Leonie Mellinger to help him prepare a response to Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal as leader of the opposition.
The classically trained dramatist advised STaremr on his speaking style, according to a book by two Sunday Times journalists.
A Labour Party spokesperson has denied any rules were broken, saying in a statement: “The rules were followed at all times.”
#Starmer #crawls #visafree #deal #under30s #Macron #tells #Brexit #failed #trade #war
Source link
