Finally, Labour is finding its nerve and getting Britain's bad Brexit deal undone | Polly Toynbee

"Month by month, Labour is bringing us closer to Europe. This week, the UK announced it is rejoining the Erasmus+ youth exchange programme. This will open the door beyond the many young people who attend university its remit includes FE students, apprentices, and youth and school groups. A whoop of excitement greeted the announcement, with opportunities for those involved in education, training, culture and sport, and a commitment to maximise take-up by disadvantaged young people."

"Widening experience, encouraging adventure: Erasmus+ may help cure Britain's monolingual handicap and the catastrophic decline in language courses. Last year in the UK, less than 3% of A-levels were in languages. This all eludes Europhobes such as Andrew Neil, who posted on X that extra taxes now being inflicted on working people will be used to finance some study' in Barcelona for gap-year yahs from affluent families."

"Last month, Keir Starmer wrote: We must confront the reality that the botched Brexit deal significantly hurt our economy. Listen to other ministers' language. Rachel Reeves: The cuts to capital spending and Brexit have had a bigger impact on our economy than was even projected back then. Wes Streeting said Labour should undo the economic damage done by Brexit, while David Lammy refused seven times in one interview to rule out reversing a Brexit that had badly damaged our economy."

The UK is rejoining the Erasmus+ youth exchange programme, extending opportunities beyond university students to FE students, apprentices, youth and school groups, and prioritising disadvantaged young people. Erasmus+ aims to broaden experience, address Britain’s monolingualism and the steep decline in language study, where less than 3% of A-levels were languages last year. Critics framed the move as elitist spending, but Labour is increasingly acknowledging Brexit’s economic damage. Senior Labour figures and ministers have openly recognised Brexit’s harmful effects and signalled willingness to undo economic damage, while centrist and green parties are drawing pro-European voters away from Labour.

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