Home Secretary rules out EU youth mobility scheme
Yvette Cooper was questioned on the scheme in the Commons.
A youth mobility scheme to the EU is not part of the Government’s plans, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said.
Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson Lisa Smart said a scheme allowing under-30s from the bloc to live, work and study in the UK and vice versa would show a “common sense approach” that would grow the UK economy.
There had been reports that such a scheme may have been under consideration as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to strengthen ties with EU counterparts.
The Government has made resetting relations with the EU a priority but repeatedly ruled out returning to the single market, customs union or freedom of movement.
Wary of any deal that could be seen to cross these red lines, it has also resisted proposals from Brussels for a new UK-EU youth mobility scheme.
During Home Office questions in the Commons, Ms Smart said the previous Conservative government had “abandoned young people” by “trashing” the UK’s relationship with Europe.
She said: “I was delighted to see recent reports in The Times that the Prime Minister will offer a youth mobility scheme in negotiations with the EU, a common sense approach that will give our young people opportunities and help grow our economy.
“So, will the minister support delivering the best possible deal for young people here in the UK by extending a youth mobility scheme to the EU?”
Ms Cooper replied: “As the front bench spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats knows, that is not our plan, and we are clear that net migration needs to come down.
“It quadrupled under the previous Conservative government in the space of just four years. Those numbers need to come down.”
Ms Cooper also declined to rule out increases to the minimum income threshold for migrants, when questioned by the former home secretary, James Cleverly.
While in government, Mr Cleverly introduced rules stating that UK citizens must be earning at least £38,700 to sponsor foreign family members wishing to gain a visa.
He said the minimum income threshold “has reduced net migration” and asked if the Home Secretary would be introducing further increases to the threshold in future.
Ms Cooper replied: “Net migration quadrupled during the period while the former home secretary was in government in the space of just four years, the most shocking loss of control of our borders, including, we saw visas and overseas recruitment shoot up at exactly the same time as training here in the UK fell.
“That is why this Government will set out a White Paper which sets out measures to reduce net migration, including making sure that employers recruit and train here in the UK.”
Elsewhere in the session, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, Stella Creasy, said refugees without a route to British citizenship “will find it harder to get a job to support their families, or to get a mortgage, or to have a say in their local communities”.
Ms Creasy asked: “Will the minister meet with myself and other MPs concerned about the new guidance on naturalisation to talk about how we can properly support integration in the UK?”
Home Office minister Seema Malhotra replied: “For many generations, refugees who have arrived on resettlement and who have settled in the UK have been able to apply for British citizenship if they meet the conditions, and that continues to be the case.
“The UK must always do its bit to support those who are fleeing persecution but we are also clear that we must do all we can to prevent people making dangerous boat crossings, risking their lives in the arms of criminal gangs.”
Speaking from the Conservative frontbench, Katie Lam (Weald of Kent) pressed the Government to extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain, adding: “Over 800,000 migrants from the last five years could soon claim indefinite leave to remain, or ILR.
“In NHS care, benefits, social housing and more this will cost £234 billion.”
Ms Malhotra said the Prime Minister has pledged a White Paper on reducing net migration and “work is under way on considering a range of proposals, including how we support better integration and employability of refugees”.
