Starmer stands accused of 'caving in to EU' over £570m student swap deal

KEIR

- BY CHRISTIAN CALGIE Senior Political Correspondent

Free to go... UK students will be able to spend time in Europe

Starmer sparked anger yesterday by announcing plans to further reverse Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal and tie Britain closer to Brussels.The Government confirmed it will be rejoining the EU Erasmus scheme for university students, sparking accusations of wasting millions on middle-class gap years.

British students will be able to take advantage of placement years across the continent from 2027, with the government championing it as a move that will widen opportunities to study and train abroad.

However the announcement sparked a backlash. Former PM Mr Johnson decided to walk away from the scheme over the belief it was unjustifiably expensive and favoured the middle class.

Before Brexit, Erasmus saw twice as many EU students come to Britain to study as British students in Europe, costing the UK taxpayer more than £200million a year.