Keir Starmer is facing strong criticism over a new idea for a youth mobility scheme. The proposal would let people under 30 travel and work between the UK and EU countries for up to three years. Some people, like political commentator Nigel Nelson, think it’s a good idea and could help young people experience different cultures and job opportunities. But others, like former government advisor Claire Pearsall, strongly disagree and believe it could cause serious problems.
Claire is worried that many people who come to the UK under this scheme might not leave when their three years are up. She fears some may try to stay by claiming asylum, which would make immigration numbers go up even more. This argument came shortly after a Conservative MP was confronted about how the government once promised to bring migration down to the “tens of thousands” but instead, it has risen into the millions.
Claire didn’t hold back. She said the scheme felt like Britain was getting too close to the EU again, which goes against the whole point of Brexit. She said, “This feels like we’re secretly opening the door to something like freedom of movement again.” She also pointed out that Labour MP Yvette Cooper has said she doesn’t want anything like the old EU freedom of movement rules to return — so Claire thinks the party is sending mixed messages.
Claire also said that if people stay in the UK for more than 12 months, they’ll be counted in the official migration numbers — which are already high and making headlines.
Nigel Nelson tried to calm the debate by suggesting that if British young people also get to move and work in Europe, it might balance out — like a “one in, one out” system. But Claire didn’t agree. She said there’s already a big problem with people overstaying their visas and using the asylum system to stay longer. She warned this scheme would just make that worse. She said it won’t just be students from France visiting; it could involve people from a wide range of countries, and not all of them might want to go back home.
The plan would prevent visitors from claiming UK benefits and require them to pay an NHS fee, but critics argue that the UK already has a high level of youth unemployment. They think the government should focus on helping young British people find jobs, rather than opening up more opportunities for workers from abroad.
So, while some see the idea as a positive step for young people, others are deeply worried it could backfire and increase pressure on the UK’s job market and immigration system.
