New polling data from Best for Britain shows that a strong majority of people would like the UK Government to negotiate a reciprocal Youth Mobility Scheme with the EU.
A representative poll of 2,054 adults undertaken by Opinium on behalf of Best for Britain found that three in five respondents (59%) think the UK should negotiate a youth mobility scheme with the EU. The figure is almost four times higher than the number who oppose the idea (15%).
The polling shows that the policy commands majority support in all nations and regions of the UK, and among all age groups, with 56% of people aged 65+ thinking it's a good idea.
Even Conservative voters back the plan (54%), as do half of people who voted to leave the European Union (50%), while just 29% of Leave voters oppose the idea.
SPLIT
The UK currently has successful youth mobility schemes with 13 non-EU countries, including New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Japan, Iceland, and Uruguay. But crucially, the UK does not currently have a scheme in place with the EU.
A reciprocal EU-UK youth mobility scheme would enable young Brits to live, study and work in the EU’s 27 member states, learning new skills while experiencing new cultures.
Last year, the cross-party UK Trade and Business Commission, established and operated by Best for Britain, published 114 evidence-based recommendations to improve trading conditions for British businesses which included the negotiation of a reciprocal Youth Mobility Visa Scheme with the EU.
SPLIT
The Poll
This representative poll of 2,054 adults by Opinium on behalf of Best for Britain was undertaken between 6-8 March 2024.