Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is expected to advocate for young Londoners to be granted the right to live and work in the EU with facilitated rules during a meeting with EU heads of mission. According to the Independent, Khan will urge that young Londoners be allowed to live and work in EU countries, pushing for government support for a youth mobility scheme. Despite UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s stance that free movement will not return, Khan has emphasized the importance of the proposal.
The youth mobility scheme would allow people aged 18 to 30 to live and work freely between the UK and the EU for up to two years without facing extensive requirements. Khan will argue that the scheme would boost economic growth and provide valuable life experiences for both young Londoners and EU citizens. Additionally, Khan will suggest exploring ways to make it easier for schoolchildren from the EU to visit the UK under the scheme.
Khan is also expected to reiterate his belief that Brexit was a mistake, renewing his support for the youth mobility initiative. According to The Guardian, Khan will tell EU diplomats that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU continues to have negative effects and will call for efforts to seek closer alignment between the two. He will also stress his commitment to strengthening UK-EU relations in order to tackle shared challenges.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Starmer agreed to consider negotiating the youth mobility scheme with the EU. However, no further details have been released, and it remains uncertain whether such negotiations will take place soon. Starmer has been cautious about pursuing these discussions due to pressures surrounding net migration numbers.
