Starmer missed ‘open goal' on youth mobility scheme

Prime minister bowed to Eurosceptic pressure, say critics

- ARCHIE MITCHELL and MILLIE COOKE

Critics have accused Sir Keir Starmer of missing an “open goal” after he failed to strike a youth mobility agreement with Brussels as part of his Brexit reset deal.

As the prime minister hailed the success of his negotiations, the European Movement UK group accused the prime minister of caving in to Eurosceptics.

Mike Galsworthy, chair of European Movement UK, told The Independent: “We already have these schemes with countries all around the world – it’s an absolute no-brainer to have one with the EU. The PM needs to push through with this and ignore the critics, and finally stop our young talent from losing out.”

He said the scheme, which would have let young people live and work across the continent for a number of years, was an “open goal” for the reset, having “nothing to do with immigration numbers”.

But as Sir Keir touted concessions from Brussels, including on passports for cats and dogs and British travellers gaining access to EU passport gates, criticism grew of his failure to include youth mobility in the reset.