Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has acknowledged that Britain will face “trade-offs” as it looks to build closer ties with the European Union again.
The senior minister also appeared to signal she does not favour the UK rejoining the trade bloc, while arguing it should still pursue closer relations to deliver on the promises made during Brexit.
Minister on youth mobility scheme
Speaking to the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Nandy was asked about the terms of a youth mobility scheme that Andy Burnham is due to sign when he meets EU leaders at a summit on November 20.
The Culture Secretary was questioned on whether there would be a cap on the number of Europeans allowed to come to Britain under the scheme, and whether the 150,000 limit reportedly floated by Brussels would be acceptable to her constituents.
Ms Nandy, who represents the leave-voting Wigan constituency, said: “Well, we’ll have those conversations with our European counterparts, but we’ll also have those conversations too with the British people, because it is right to say that there are costs as well as benefits to a closer relationship with the European Union.
“There are trade-offs to be made, and we can’t cut people out of that conversation.”
Rejoin position and Brexit promises
Ms Nandy, who backed Remain in the referendum, signalled she continues in her stated position that Britain should not rejoin the EU.
She told the BBC: “The only thing that I think the British people are absolutely united on right now is that we left the European Union a decade ago with the promise of a close Brexit deal and the promise of benefits from that deal, and most of those have not been realised.
“It’s not working for people across this country, and we’ve got to do better.”
The Prime Minister has reminded Cabinet that they need to speak with one voice on the future of Britain’s relationship with the EU, after several ministers gave differing opinions on what they want from the arrangement.
Farage and Barnier warnings
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage warned that Britain could open the door to “uncontrolled migration” if it continues to reforge ties with the EU.
Mr Farage criticised the youth mobility scheme the Government is about to sign, telling the BBC: “It is opening the door to uncontrolled immigration, to immigration over which we have no control. That is what that scheme is all about.”
His comments came after Michel Barnier, Brussels’ former Brexit negotiator, said the UK would need to accept free movement if it wants closer ties in future. Mr Barnier said: “There is no cherry picking.
“There will be no possibility to have one freedom and not the other.
“The four freedoms (of goods, movement of people, services and capital) are clearly the four conditions to be inside the single market.”
The minister insisted she and Mr Burnham – her constituency neighbour – are not divided on the matter. “I really don’t think you can put a piece of paper between me and Andy Burnham, who is a good friend of mine,” Ms Nandy said.
She added: “We live in a similar part of the world, we share a constituency office, and we hear the same things from people who are not just our constituents.
“They’re our friends, and our neighbours, and our family, and I think we both have the same view, which is people in the end have to be brought into the conversation.
“They have to be allowed to look at the honest choices and trade-offs ahead of us. But both of us really firmly believe that it is in the interests of this country to have a much closer relationship with our European friends and neighbours.”
