A cap allowing 50,000 EU citizens a year to come to the UK on a proposed new under-30s visa could be accepted by Brussels as part of deal to achieve a softer Brexit , The i Paper can reveal.

The youth mobility scheme has been a key sticking point in Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to negotiate a better deal with the European Union as part of his drive to grow the British economy.

And the EU’s willingness to accept an annual limit of 50,000, having initially proposed an uncapped scheme, could offer a way through if the UK can agree to that level at a time when when immigration is such a contentious issue.

Last week, EU Relations Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds hinted that the UK would be looking to negotiate a scheme that was “capped, smart and controlled, and the numbers will be in the con

See Full Page