Londoners should be able to live and work in European countries, Sadiq Khan says, urging the government to support a youth mobility programme with the European Union. The Mayor of London is hosting a meeting of heads of EU missions, including the EU ambassador and UK ambassadors to the 27 EU member states on Tuesday, The Independent reports.
Delivering opening remarks at the start of the meeting, which aims to further strengthen London’s relationship with its international partners, Sadiq is expected to say he is “strongly in favour” of such a scheme.
The European Commission has made the youth mobility scheme a key demand amid Keir Starmer’s post-Brexit reset with Brussels after years of strained relations under successive Conservative administrations.
The proposal, which has become a major stumbling block between the UK and the EU, is likely to mirror similar agreements the UK has already struck with countries including Australia and Japan, allowing 18-35-year-olds to move and work freely between countries for up to two years.
Despite growing calls for a youth mobility scheme, the Prime Minister has repeatedly ruled out the possibility of such an agreement with the EU, saying there will be no return to freedom of movement.
However, Sadiq will argue that it would “help economic growth across Europe, as well as giving young Londoners and EU citizens important life experiences, such as the chance to work abroad and learn more about our languages and cultures.”
“As part of this, I’m keen for us to look at how we can make it easier for schoolchildren from the EU to visit the UK and learn more about our shared ties and history,” he will say.
Brexit was a mistake, Sadiq Khan says
The mayor is expected to use Tuesday’s meeting to reiterate his view that Brexit “was a mistake that continues to have a negative impact not only on my city and country, but on the European community as a whole.”
Starmer pledged to forge new ties with Europe as part of his Brexit reset plan, signing a new defence cooperation agreement with Germany in October aimed at boosting security, investment and jobs in both countries.
In October, the government also signed a defence roadmap with Estonia and agreed to cooperate on missile defence. Sadiq will back Keir’s plan to reset relations, saying he “wholeheartedly supports” the mission. He will say:
“I remain passionate about growing and improving our relationship across every area possible, and I believe this is essential if we’re to effectively tackle a host of shared challenges, relating to trade, our economies, security, the environment and the rise of an intolerant and anti-democratic populism. Indeed, at a moment when we see trade wars and tariffs posing a real threat to international affairs, I’m convinced that we should be looking at what more we can do to strengthen our relationship as a counterweight to these trends.”
The Prime Minister clashed with Donald Trump over the future of Ukraine and the US President’s latest threat to impose tariffs on the UK, with the Government urged to forge closer trade ties with Europe to counter the threat.
Last week, the US president announced he would impose “retaliatory tariffs” on all other countries by charging them the same amount as US exports, saying such a move would be “fair for everyone.”
The policy published by the White House included VAT as a target, which analysts believe could cut UK GDP by around £24bn over the next two years. A government spokesperson said:
“We are committed to resetting the relationship with the EU to improve the British people’s security, safety and prosperity. But we have been clear there will be no return to freedom of movement, the customs union or the single market.”
