PM pressed to let young Europeans work in UK

Keir Starmer is under pressure from more than 60 new Labour MPs to allow thousands of young Europeans to live and work in the UK, a move seen as key to unlocking a more ambitious trade reset with Brussels.

- Jessica Elgot, Lisa O'Carroll

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, said yesterday that discussions on a potential scheme were "ongoing" - the clearest hint yet that the government is preparing to do a deal.

A youth mobility scheme, which would allow British and European 18-30-year-olds to travel freely, has been seen as a key European demand in reaching an economic deal with the UK. Sources suggested the EU would now be open to putting a quota and time limit on such visas, opening the door for an agreement.

In a letter to Nick Thomas-Symonds, the minister negotiating with Brussels, 70 Labour MPs and peers said a time-limited capped youth visa scheme should be agreed and that trade cooperation should be deepened beyond the government's current ambitions.

The intervention comes ahead of a crucial few weeks for the UK's relationship with the EU. The prime minister will meet the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen in London, today as momentum builds towards the UK-EU summit in May.

Cabinet differences remain on the shape a youth visa deal could take.

Reeves is said to be in favour of a deal that includes time-limited youth visas - the highest priority for Brussels - but the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has insisted on a cap on numbers, with a time limit of one year.

One source with knowledge of the talks said the cap would probably be around 70,000. "Yvette is pursuing the task she has been set by the PM - to reduce net migration," a source close to the home secretary said.