UK Plans EU Youth Mobility Deal Ahead London Summit

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is advancing plans for a youth mobility scheme with the European Union as part of a broader post-Brexit reset deal aimed at strengthening trade, security, and defense relations. Starmer insists that the scheme, allowing young people to live and work in the UK for up to two years, does not constitute a return to freedom of movement—a red line in Labour's manifesto—and compares it to existing arrangements with countries like Australia. Despite his assurances, critics including Reform UK's Nigel Farage and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch warn that the scheme could act as a backdoor to uncapped migration and free movement, concerns Starmer rejects. The forthcoming agreement is expected to be a significant milestone, with Starmer emphasizing its potential to improve job prospects and living standards for working people. Ongoing discussions at the UK-EU summit also include access to a major EU defense fund, though some issues such as fishing rights remain contentious. The youth mobility scheme remains politically sensitive but is seen by Starmer and some EU leaders as a pathway to closer UK-EU relations without relitigating past Brexit disputes.