Brexit betrayal fears as EU tipped to use steel trade war threat for major concession | UK | News
Sir Keir Starmer’s talks with Brussels over new EU steel tariffs could be used to push the UK into accepting a more generous youth mobility scheme. European countries are reportedly using the upcoming talks as a chance to make further concessions on visas for people under 30 that would allow them to move to the UK for a limited time. Last week, it was announced that the European Union could impose a 50% tariff on UK steel in a major post-Brexit blow.
Gareth Stace, chief executive of lobby group UK Steel, warned that the tariffs could destroy the country’s remaining steel companies. “This is perhaps the biggest crisis the UK steel industry has ever faced,” he said. “The government must do all it can to strengthen our trading relationship with the European Union to secure UK country quotas or potentially face disaster.” But the tax debate could be used to pressure Britain into agreeing to a more generous youth mobility deal.
People in Brussels told Telegram Exempting Britain from steel tariffs would offer Labor a “strong incentive” to make more concessions, it said.
A senior EU official said: “Of course, inviting countries to negotiate with us is a strong incentive for them to reach an agreement with us, and we would like to reach an agreement with them.”
A youth mobility scheme that will boost the UK’s immigration figures will allow young people to move to the UK for more than a year. The program will be similar to the UK’s existing agreements with Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Under these youth programmes, people under the age of 30 can move to the UK for up to two years, although some exceptions allow this stay to be extended. Countries within the EU are reportedly demanding a scheme to allow people aged 18-30 to move to the UK for more than 12 months, despite home secretary Yvette Cooper pushing for a one-year limit.
EU Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic said Brussels would negotiate these quotas “in good faith” with the UK.
Opposition political parties have previously condemned the plan, calling it “a backdoor to the free movement of people from the EU”.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said at the time of the announcement: “This is not a government that can be trusted on Brexit. We cannot forget that this cabinet actively opposed Brexit and, in the case of Keir Starmer, actively campaigned to overturn the democratic decision of more than 17 million people.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also criticized the youth program for potentially leading to an “unlimited immigration scheme”.
