Labour in Remembrance Sunday storm as minister links commemorations to Burnham’s EU reset – before accusing critics of ‘politicising’ commemoration

The Labour government faced criticism after the Culture Department linked the Erasmus+ student exchange scheme to European ties secured by veterans’ service, in a message released for Remembrance Sunday. Critics said the reference politicised the commemoration; Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy replied that her opponents were the ones bringing Brexit into the day’s discussion.

The dispute comes as the UK and EU negotiate a proposed two-way youth mobility scheme for under-30s, ahead of a summit on 20 November. Some ministers fear it could increase competition in the British jobs market while the government is trying to address youth unemployment; one estimate cited in the article suggests as many as a million young people aged 18 to 30 could take part. The article also reports that the UK has rejoined Erasmus+ and that the scheme’s cost is £570 million.