Keir Starmer warned not to deny MPs vote on EU youth mobility scheme

A new youth mobility scheme with the European Union must be put to MPs for a vote, Westminster’s foreign affairs committee has demanded. The influential body has taken the Government to task for its lack of transparency and concerns about the absence of a “strategic vision” as it pursues a “reset” of the UK’s relationship with the bloc.

Ministers are blasted for a “piecemeal and secretive” approach to the negotiations. A letter from committee chair Dame Emily Thornberry urges the Government to “set out a comprehensive strategy for reaching the desired end-point and be frank about the trade-offs that may be required”.

She says MPs are concerned the Government’s ambitions in some areas “appear piecemeal and lacking in detail”.

In a further criticism, she states: “There has been no indication from the Government of the extent to which any new agreement on alignment with EU rules could require the Government to submit to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.”

She calls on the Government to bring any draft agreement on youth mobility “to the Commons for a debate and vote before it is brought into effect”.

Dame Emily Thornberry said: “We should be clear about what it is that we want and act with a little less caution and a lot more confidence. If we do this, there is every reason to believe the EU will respond positively.

“European nations are amongst the UK’s closest and most important allies. We are fellow liberal democracies with shared values and history, as well as common challenges. While it would be foolish not to acknowledge that the relationship between the UK and EU still bears the scars of the Brexit negotiations, we need to look to the future, not remain stuck in the past.”

She added: “The war in Ukraine teaches us that we must work with likeminded nations to defend democracy and the rules-based international order. Let’s hope that the summit on Monday is the beginning of a new chapter of closer cooperation on defence and security with our friends in Europe.”

A Government spokesperson said: “We have been clear that we will always act in the national interest to secure the best outcomes for the UK. We are not providing a running commentary on our discussions with the EU, these are ongoing and cover a wide range of issues.”