How Brussels is questioning Starmer's Brexit motives...
Starmer's refusal to join a youth mobility scheme and the Erasmus exchange program has gone down badly in European capitals
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Sir Keir Starmer says he wants a close relationship with Europe, but two months into his role as Prime Minister, Brussels insiders are sceptical if the Labour leader really means what he says.
One insider claimed Starmer’s show of unity is “a bit of a facade” and is increasingly doubtful that the Prime Minister wants to repair the relationship with Europe.
Already, the Prime Minister has taken decisions that have gone down badly in European capitals such as refusing to establish a youth mobility scheme and rejoin the Erasmus exchange program.
To begin with, there was optimism that the Prime Minister would take a different approach than the previous Tory Government, and in terms of rhetoric and mood, it had initially been “relatively positive.”
Starmer has his own priorities like a deal to reduce border bureaucracy at the border at Dover
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An EU diplomat who was granted anonymity explained that the Government’s lack of interest in rejoining the Erasmus scheme did not go down well among member states and “did register in Brussels.”
“The problem, though, is people are starting to think it’s a bit of a facade because when you move onto specific portfolios — whether that’s youth mobility or Erasmus — the answer is always ‘no.’”
Erasmus, established in 1987, is a programme which allows university students to work or study in participating EU countries and beyond.
Officials said they were “surprised” by the snub as re-entry into the student exchange programme was thought as something a pro-European British government would jump at.
A second diplomat said: “Constructive rhetoric is all very nice but as long as fundamentally nothing changes in the U.K. position, I don’t see how the status quo changes.”
Earlier in 2024, the Labour Party announced it also had “no plans” for a youth mobility scheme which evolved into an “extremely negative” take on the policy in meetings behind the scenes, the EU diplomat said.
The scheme would see 18–30 year-olds given affordable visas to live abroad for up to four years, but when pushed Starmer likened the idea to a return to freedom of movement, which he is against.
The Labour leader may also be wary of signing up for anything that could be seen as pro-Brexit in case it bolsters support for the ever-growing anti-immigration Reform UK Party.
It would seem Starmer has his own, separate priorities which could bring the UK closer to the EU like a deal to reduce border bureaucracy at the border at Dover.
A UK government spokesperson said: “We’ve had very positive engagement in our early conversations as we work to reset the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties, secure a broad-based security pact and tackle barriers to trade.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris (right) and Keir Starmer during talks at Farmleigh House in Dublin
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Starmer also seeks mutual recognition of professional qualifications to help Britain’s services sector do business abroad and fewer restrictions on UK artists touring Europe.
The Prime Minister already toured EU capitals from Berlin to Dublin to get his “reset” message across, but the move didn’t come off as hoped.
The visits raised suspicions in Brussels that London may be trying to find ways to work around the European Commission by going directly to national capitals.
Another EU official described this idea that Brussels could be bypassed as “completely inaccurate and legally wrong” and said member states would have “almost zero” influence as the negotiating mandate has already been set.
On the surface, the mood around the EU reset is still positive as UK ministers prepare for more trips to Europe in the coming months.
But, one EU official warned, there could be trouble ahead “if these narratives are not turned into actions when we move from rhetoric to business.”