Even readers of the Express, often dubbed the Brexpress, were not entirely convinced by their paper’s fury.
Erasmus is back. And right on cue, so is the Brexiteer meltdown.
Six years after the UK withdrew from the EU’s flagship student exchange scheme under Boris Johnson’s government, on the grounds of cost, the UK has announced plans to rejoin Erasmus in 2027.
The decision marks a welcoming shift in UK–EU relations, and a long-awaited restoration of opportunities for young people whose horizons have been painfully narrowed by Brexit.
The government has secured a 30 percent discount on membership fees, with an estimated first-year cost of £570 million. In return, thousands of young people will once again be able to study, train, join an apprenticeship or volunteer abroad.
Erasmus began in the 1980s as a university exchange scheme but evolved into a far broader programme, supporting vocational training, adult education, school exchanges, youth work and teaching placements across Europe.
For many, the announcement felt like a hard-won victory. Campaigners who fought to keep Erasmus, and to bring it back, were quick to celebrate.
“Six years after it was ripped away, Erasmus is coming back, and it did not happen by accident. Sustained campaigning and relentless pressure forced this back onto the agenda. Young people finally get their opportunities back,” wrote Leeds for Europe.
One commenter responded: “It’s important that young people get the chance to broaden their education abroad. We old folk have taken too many opportunities away from a generation who had their school or university years blighted by Covid. Put politics and jingoism aside for once and let’s give young people the widest possible choice for their future lives and careers.”
Yet predictably, the return of Erasmus also reignited familiar outrage among the Eurosceptics. The cost has been seized upon by pro-Brexit commentators as ‘evidence’ of betrayal and backsliding.
“£6bn cost of Starmer’s new bid to suck up to Brussels,” blared the Daily Mail’s front page. The paper warned that annual costs could approach £1 billion, citing critics accusing the prime minister of “unpick[ing] Brexit” in his haste to restore ties with the EU.
Funnily enough, the Mail’s own debate prompt within the article entitled: ‘Is rejoining Erasmus a smart investment in our youth or a step backwards for Brexit?’ elicited a striking number of pro-Erasmus responses.
“Of course, the people who read the Daily Mail are against the children of Britain being given opportunities that doesn’t benefit them,” one reader remarked.
“Pro-Reform little Englanders must be loving this slanted piece of journalism,” wrote another. “We need to foster links. Not be the monolingual Brit abroad stereotype. It’s embarrassing how awful we are at languages-and proud of it!”
“Great decision by both parties. It will benefit both sides,” was another comment.
Even readers of the Express, often dubbed the Brexpress, were not entirely convinced by their paper’s fury.
The newspaper was quick to amplify broadcaster Andrew Neil’s attack on what he called a “quite terrible deal”, claiming taxpayers would bankroll “gap-year from affluent families” studying in Barcelona.
But the comments challenged the ardent Brexiteer head-on.
One reader responded by citing analysis from Chatham House, pointing out that while Erasmus is often perceived as a perk for metropolitan university students, most of its funding actually supports young people outside higher education, those in vocational training, apprenticeships, adult education, volunteering and youth work.
Surely, at a time when the UK faces chronic skills shortages, declining language learning and an increasingly inward-looking reputation, the case for reconnecting young people with Europe couldn’t be more conclusive.
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