Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is embroiled in a fierce political row after agreeing to rejoin the European Union's Erasmus+ education programme, with critics accusing him of wasting billions of taxpayer money to reverse Brexit.
The Costly Return to Erasmus
The government has committed the UK to the scheme at a significantly higher price than previously negotiated. While Labour states the cost for 2027 will be £570 million, representing a 30% discount, EU sources confirm this reduction is a one-off. The UK now faces a potential bill of £6 billion to participate in the scheme's next seven-year cycle. This figure is three times the £2 billion demand rejected by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson during Brexit talks as too expensive.
Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds defended the decision in Parliament, calling it "a huge win for our young people." From January 2027, British students, apprentices, and adult learners will be able to study, train, and gain work experience across the EU. He argued the cost represented a "fair balance" and would enrich lives, expecting the scheme to create opportunities for over 100,000 UK participants annually.
A Political Firestorm Over Brexit Values
The move has ignited fury from Conservative figures and Brexit supporters. Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel launched a scathing attack, accusing Labour of "throwing away billions of pounds of hard-pressed taxpayers' money" and "continuing to betray Brexit." She asserted the government remained "obsessed with dragging Britain back under the control of Brussels."
Guto Harri, who served as Boris Johnson's communications chief, warned the hefty price tag signalled Britain would "pay a heavy price" for Labour's EU reset. He likened the approach to "grovelling back to an ex after a bad break-up." Tory frontbencher Mike Wood labelled it "the latest attempt by government to undo Brexit by stealth."
Broader Implications of the EU 'Reset'
Rejoining Erasmus is a central pillar of Sir Keir Starmer's post-Brexit policy reset, aiming for closer ties with Brussels. The Minister also revealed progress on other alignment plans, including potential UK participation in the EU's internal electricity market to cut energy bills and moves to harmonise food and animal health standards by next year to ease trade.
However, the government insists it is not seeking to rejoin the single market, customs union, or restart free movement. A new youth mobility deal, allowing tens of thousands of young Europeans to work temporarily in the UK, is slated for finalisation by summer 2025.
Critics within the Conservative party remain unconvinced. Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Alex Burghart said the combination of rejoining Erasmus, energy integration, and regulatory alignment "looks less like pragmatism and more like pro-EU ideology," showing a "worrying disregard" for the 2016 referendum result.
The debate also revisits the scheme's value. When the UK was last a member, around 16,100 EU students came to Britain, nearly double the 9,900 Britons who went abroad. The replacement Turing scheme, introduced by the Conservatives, funded 43,200 placements last year at a cost of £105 million. The government argues the new Erasmus deal is "much bigger," offering wider opportunities, and a review after ten months will ensure a "fair balance" of benefits.
