London – Ahead of a meeting with the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries scheduled for next Tuesday, Feb. 25, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has renewed his support for strengthening ties with Europe that could help ward off Washington’s threatened tariff regime. “I am a proud European, and I think Brexit was a mistake that continues to have negative impacts, not just on my city and country, but on the European community as a whole,” the first citizen said, as reported by The Guardian. In this spirit, Khan wants to find tools to enable young European students to visit Britain more easily.
“As mayor, I strongly support a new mobility plan. This would help support economic growth in Europe and provide important life experiences for young Londoners and European citizens, such as the opportunity to work abroad and discover more about our respective languages and cultures.”
However, these intentions should be read in a limited sense. Despite considering ties with the EU a priority, the Starmer government has repeatedly rejected a return to the single market, customs union or freedom of movement. Indeed, in this regard, it has resisted proposals from Brussels to allow under-30s to live, work, and study in the UK and vice versa.
The Mayor of London, slammed by the Labour government for his openly anti-Trump statements made to The Observer, doesn’t name Trump but pushes for collaboration moved by a common effort against shared challenges involving trade, the economy, security, and the rise of intolerant and anti-democratic populism. Meanwhile, Downing Street reminds that any return to the free movement of goods, capital, and people remains off the table.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
