Latest news with #Erasmus+
The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Why won't Angela Rayner speak to Scottish print journalists?
The party promised access to senior UK Government ministers would never be restricted under their leadership. There will be better relations with the Scottish press, we were enthusiastically told. And yet, 10 months into the Labour administration and the examples of officials coming to Scotland and dodging journalists are mounting up. This time, it is Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. She is not here on official government business, it is important to note. Instead, she was supposed to participate in a walkabout with Davy Russell, the party's candidate in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election. Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill also did not speak with press despite visiting Edinburgh University on Thursday afternoon. Reade more Unspun: Top concerns of Scots ahead of Holyrood election must be heeded Scottish by-election: Constituents deserve a race to be their MSP I studied abroad. Here's why re-joining Erasmus+ is welcome Three weeks ago, Chancellor Rachel Reeves was in East Lothian on official business and the invitation to print journalists, including The Herald, was pulled hours before the event. Why? Officials said the Chancellor's schedule had been unexpectedly 'squeezed', meaning she had no time to take questions – other than five minutes from broadcasters. On that visit, she had a dram of whisky as she toured the distillery, presenting ample time for a five minute print huddle. This also is not the first time the Chancellor has ventured north of the border without taking questions from Scottish newspaper journalists. Her sister Ellie Reeves - a Cabinet Office minister - also came to Glasgow a fortnight ago, without a word to the print media. Before entering government, Labour was desperate to avoid a Rishi Sunak style disaster. In April 2023, the then-Prime Minister was in Glasgow for the Scottish Conservative conference. The story of the day was not what the former Tory leader said in his speech. It was instead the No 10 press team's short lived attempt to restrict access to Mr Sunak. Read more: Angela Rayner's Hamilton visit derailed by protesters Just seven journalists from selected outlets were invited to meet with the PM - a request resoundingly rejected by the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists' Association (SPJA), before the offer was extended to all journalists in the room. Dismissing print journalists is not a new trend for UK Government officials. It was also repeatedly done by No 10 while Boris Johnson was in office. But it is frustrating given that we were promised it would be different under Labour. And it is time it stopped. Labour has told The Herald the press event in Hamilton was restricted because of time and space constraints. Are senior Labour officials - and the UK Government, by extension - afraid to speak to the Scottish media? In the midst of a crucial by-election, when Labour's message is how powerful it is to have a local candidate - Davy Russell - I challenge them to prioritise the print journalists who are working as hard as broadcasters to cover the vote. We are on the ground in Hamilton every day. It's time we were treated the same.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
British students to be barred from Turing exchange scheme following Trump visa ban
British students are expected to be barred from spending a year at American universities under Donald Trump's sweeping visa ban. Tens of thousands of UK students are waiting to hear a decision on their funding applications for this year's Turing Scheme, which allows them to enrol at universities around the world for up to a year. Those who applied to study at US colleges next year are expected to be turned down under White House plans, unless they have already received their visas. It comes after Mr Trump ramped up his attack on American universities by ordering US embassies to halt all new visa interviews for prospective international students. In a leaked cable shared on Tuesday, Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, also demanded an 'expansion' of social media vetting for all student visa applicants. The changes, which Mr Rubio said would come into effect 'in the coming days', will apply to student exchange visas as well as those for full-time international students. A Whitehall source confirmed to The Telegraph that J-1 exchange visas required for the Turing Scheme were affected by the ban, but said some students may have already secured their visas for next year. The UK Government will monitor the situation and is discussing potential implications with universities, The Telegraph understands. British universities could still change the preferred destination for any Turing Scheme participants affected by the US ban. The Department for Education is responsible for Britain's study abroad programme, but individual universities must organise their students' applications. More than 3,100 British students were offered placements in the US last year as part of the Turing Scheme, which replaced the Erasmus+ scheme after the UK left the EU-wide programme in 2020. The US was the third most popular location after Spain and France. It means thousands of UK students could have their study abroad plans ripped up or be sent to different countries, while British pupils planning to start at US colleges full-time this autumn have had their plans thrown into chaos. Prospective students can apply for full-time study visas up to a year in advance of their course start date, but many colleges send out admissions decisions in spring – meaning many may still be awaiting a visa interview. The number of UK students at US universities has remained broadly stable over the past decade or so, while enrolments from other countries have soared. A record 1.1 million foreign students were enrolled at American universities last year, more than 10,000 of whom were British, according to the Institute of International Education. However, top private schools have increasingly encouraged pupils to apply to Ivy League colleges in the past few years amid frustrations over UK universities' focus on state school admissions. Eton College reportedly sent around a fifth of its leavers to American universities in 2022, with 50 pupils heading for top US destinations such as Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale and Columbia. Mr Trump has taken aim at many of those institutions and threatened to end their federal funding after accusing them of fostering anti-Semitism and adopting biased admissions policies. The US leader has frozen around $3.2 billion of federal funding for Harvard in recent weeks, sparking a bitter tit-for-tat and multiple lawsuits from the oldest university in the US. Turmoil in the US could, however, prove an unexpected boon for UK universities, which are grappling with a funding crisis fuelled by their drop in foreign student numbers. A recent British Council report said British higher education could benefit from Mr Trump's re-election, with international students now more likely to seek out alternative English-speaking destinations. The move could also intensify competition for places at some British universities, including Oxford and Cambridge. Rohan Agarwal, the founder of UniAdmissions, said he was bracing for 'an even greater acceleration in demand for Oxbridge and other top UK institutions' if the Trump administration followed through with its visa crackdown. A US State Department spokesman said it did not comment on internal communications, but that the Trump administration was focused on upholding the highest national security standards. The spokesman said the department would focus on prohibiting entry to the US for those who might pose a threat to America's security. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Herald Scotland
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scottish by-election: Constituents deserve a race to be their MSP
Lights, camera, lack of action. The broadcast media is calling but a fair amount of candidates for the upcoming Scottish by-election are not picking up. With only two weeks to go until constituents decide who will be their next MSP, the race is well and truly underway but can any of the candidates prove they are worthy of a seat in Holyrood? Everyone deserves a strong and considered voice to stand up for their rights and fight against issues affecting them. A key way for politicians to do this sort of work is to get their message out there by speaking to the media. And for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, broadcasters and print journalists have offered them ample opportunity to do so. There will be an STV candidates debate on June 2nd. However, it looks like there will be a few empty chairs or plinths. Only the SNP's Katy Loudon and Reform UK's Ross Lambie will participate. Labour, a supposedly strong rival to the SNP in this area, should be falling over themselves to get their candidate match-ready for such an opportunity. Instead, they've decided not to take part. Read more from Unspun: I studied abroad. Here's why re-joining Erasmus+ is welcome Will bin workers' strikes hit the Edinburgh festivals? The so-called rape clause is unworkable — here's the proof The Herald understands other parties such as Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Lib Dems have also declined. In doing so, they have created a space for a head-to-head battle for SNP and Reform. After speaking to people in Hamilton town centre yesterday, it's clear Reform UK are appealing to voters and bowing out of such a debate hands Nigel Farage's party a further boost here. It offers Reform UK an opportunity to make their case to constituents and quite literally stand against the party defending the seat only a few days before voters head to the polls. Working in Scottish politics and having helped set up previous broadcast debates like this, it is easy for me to see these debates as very important. I understand there may be many in the constituency who do not tune in to such things. One man told me, "Why on earth should I vote or care about any of these a***holes?" But it's the principle of having the confidence to put your candidate forward for something like this which matters. Labour's Mr Russell claims his lack of appearance here is because he's prioritising chapping doors. When I asked why he cannot do both during a visit to Larkhall this week, a long pause ensued until he came out with the answer. As far as he was aware, only two other candidates would participate in the debate which he argued wasn't particularly democratic given there are ten other candidates on the ballot paper. This is a weak excuse. Broadcasters such as STV follow strict Ofcom rules around ensuring balance and fairness. They often base who they invite onto such debates off of previous results in the constituency and on current polling. It's evident the real reason is likely Labour's lack of confidence in their own candidate's ability to perform in this arena. Not a particularly promising sign for constituents if they are expected to vote for this man as their representative when he cannot even be trusted to face the cameras. During a press huddle on Wednesday, Anas Sarwar was there to hold Davy Russell's hand as he fended off questions from journalists. But our politicians should be able to stand on their own two feet to represent the community and not hide behind their polished leader. What's more, this by-election may be a litmus test for Holyrood 2026 so parties should be bringing their A-Game.
ITV News
20-05-2025
- Business
- ITV News
'Hat-trick of trade deals': Starmer defends UK-EU deal amid mounting pressure on fishing
Sir Keir Starmer has hailed his agreement with the EU as among the government's "hat-trick of trade deals", while the Tories accused him of "selling fishermen down the river". The prime minister told the Commons on Tuesday afternoon that the freshly struck deal is a "signal that Britain is back on the world stage" and will drive down bills, drive up jobs, and strengthen the UK's borders. The wide-ranging agreement will allow more British travellers to use passport e-gates when going on holiday to Europe, while farmers will get swifter, easier access to trade on the continent as a result of an agreement on animal and plant product standards. The UK and EU will also work more closely together on defence and security, and will agree a 'youth experience scheme' allowing young British people to study, travel and work on the continent. But it has been met with criticism after agreeing to grant European fishing trawlers a further 12 years' access to British waters. Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch said the deal "locks out our fishermen until 2038" and accused Labour of signing a deal that is "bad for Britain" but good for his party's PR on the world stage. "On fishing, he has given away the prize most desired by EU member states for almost nothing," she told MPs. "It is very easy to sign deals if you're prepared to give everything away for pennies. This deal locks out our fishermen until 2038. "We are now in a worse position than the Faroe Islands, a set of islands with the population of Scarborough but who get to have annual negotiations." Starmer branded Badenoch 'so unserious' and insisted none of the fishing rights negotiated by the Conservatives in power had been removed by his deal. The prime minister said the EU deal, as well as agreements with India and the US, are 'a clear message sent across the globe that Britain is back on the world stage'. At the despatch box, he told MPs: 'The principles we took into the negotiations are clear and simple. 'Does it drive down bills? Does it drive up jobs? Does it strengthen our borders? 'And in each case, the answer is resoundingly 'yes'.' He labelled the government's recent efforts on the world stage a 'hat-trick of deals', adding: 'A trade deal with the world's fastest-growing economy India, cutting tariffs for British industries, a huge boost for our whisky and gin distilleries, their only concern now is whether they can produce enough to sell.' But Badenoch accused the prime minister of 'selling out our sovereignty, our businesses, and the public' with the deal. Other measures covered in the agreement include: British burgers and sausages will once more be allowed into the EU. Some routine checks on plant and animal products will be removed completely. Linking UK and EU emissions-trading schemes, which will mean British firms will not be hit by Brussels' carbon tax next year. A commitment to work towards the UK associating with the Erasmus+ student exchange programme. British steel exports will be protected from new EU rules and restrictive tariffs, saving the beleaguered industry £25 million. Starmer claimed this post-Brexit 'reset' will cut red tape for travellers and businesses, boosting the economy by £9 billion by 2040. Elsewhere, Environment Secretary Steve Reed admitted he 'would've liked if we got more' on fishing in the talks. He was challenged about the government making 'no progress' on major asks from the UK fishing sector. While he continued to defend the deal, Reed said: 'This was a negotiation, so we of course pushed for more, but it's a negotiation. I have to say I would've liked if we got more for them. We did push hard.' The environment secretary also denied claims that fisheries were 'traded off' for other areas in the negotiations after Environment Committee chairman Alistair Carmichael said the government had invited that compromise by allowing them to be part of these negotiations.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The UK might have accepted the idea of youth mobility with the EU, but it's not happening any time soon
The language might be dry, but the political shift is significant. Monday's summit between the UK and EU leaders in London resulted in an acknowledgement of the 'mutual interest to deepen our people-to-people ties, particularly for the younger generation'. This announcement is an important step forward in the creation of a youth mobility scheme between the EU and UK, even if it has required a name change to become a 'youth experience scheme'. It is the first time that a British government has formally accepted this as something to negotiate and implement. However, there is scant detail about how it will work in practice and what the inevitable limits will be. While the permitted activities ('work, studies, au-pairing, volunteering, or simply travelling') seem extensive, they are prefaced with the dreaded words 'such as' – which means no one has actually agreed any of it. It was clear over a year ago that the basic models that the two sides have for youth mobility differ. The EU wants lengthy exchange periods and home tuition fees for students; the UK wants shorter stays, caps on numbers and retention of international fees for EU students at UK universities. The achievement of a deal would require at least one of them to move. This week makes this difference now the formal position, rather than showing whether movement is possible. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. It's possible that discussion of British participation in the Erasmus+ scheme for student mobility might be a partial stopgap, making exchanges within study programmes easier. However, the ambition for creating those deeper people-to-people ties will need more to make it meaningful. As the troubled history of this idea should indicate, there's still a very long way to go before anyone gets to use the scheme in practice. The founding irony of a youth mobility scheme with the EU after Brexit is that it was originally a British idea. It was produced under Rishi Sunak following his conclusion of the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland, when he was looking for areas to rebuild ties with Europe. In 2023, feelers had been put out to various EU member states about concluding bilateral deals with the UK. While there was some interest, the general feeling was that this was best handled at an EU level, to avoid any cherrypicking of countries by London. In April 2024, the European Commission produced an ambitious proposal for a scheme. It put forward that 18- to 30-year-olds would be able to get a visa for up to four years for any purpose – work, study, travel – without quotas on numbers. Both the Conservative government and the Labour opposition had rejected the proposal out of hand. This was partly out of concerns over the potential impact on immigration figures and on student finances: the commission suggested EU students should be able to pay UK university fees. Mostly, however, it came from a desire not to be seen to make a big agreement with the EU that looked a bit like freedom of movement. To be clear, youth mobility is very much not freedom of movement. The latter implies no limits on entry, length or purpose of stay, as well as access to any kinds of public services as if you were a resident national. The former still means paying for a visa and strict limits on those services. But such legal points remain rather marginal in the British political and media debate. Since last year, there has been some to and fro, but largely behind closed doors and with the incoming Labour government continuing the line that such a scheme wasn't on the cards. While the UK has a number of youth mobility schemes with countries around the world, these are typically limited by quotas and time (normally to two years) and require the person to be working or studying. On the British side, Home Office concern about immigration figures is clearly still critical, especially in the context of the recent white paper that aims to cut back migration. Universities too have been vocal about the financial impact of losing tuition fee income from EU students. But on the EU side, the matter is seen very differently. To some extent, the interest is in maintaining the links with the UK, especially for young people that could gain from experiencing more of how their neighbours live. But much more than this is the sense that youth mobility has become something of a test for the British government. Labour's return to office last July marked the unleashing of a significant diplomatic effort to engage with European counterparts and to talk up the value of working together. Youth mobility is a test of that value for some in European capitals, both in terms of being able to negotiate an agreement and of being able to sell it to the British public. The coming weeks and months will therefore be a key period if the reset is to result in more sustainably improved relations. Even if the basic shape of UK-EU relations isn't about to shift, the ability for both sides to be able to talk and act constructively will still matter in delivering from that long list of summit ambitions. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Simon Usherwood receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, as a Senior Fellow of the UK in a Changing Europe initiative.
