But a U.K. government spokesperson told POLITICO: “We will work to reset the relationship with our European friends to strengthen ties, secure a broad-based security pact and tackle barriers to trade for the whole of the U.K.
“We also continue to work with the higher education sector to ensure our world leading universities continue to attract the brightest and best and support our economy, however we have no plans to rejoin the Erasmus Scheme.”
Germany’s ambassador to the U.K. told POLITICO earlier this summer that British re-entry into Erasmus should be included in a wider Security and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and U.K.
Starmer on Tuesday flew to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss relations between the two countries and talk up a new bilateral deal with the country.
Public support
The government’s comments on Erasmus come as polling commissioned by POLITICO found that 51 percent of British voters believe rejoining the program would be a good idea, with just 15 percent against. Twenty-six percent thought it was neither a good nor bad idea and nine percent said they didn’t know.
The survey, conducted by pollsters at the More in Common think tank, found that supporters of all parties except Nigel Farage’s pro-Brexit Reform UK were supportive of rejoining. Even Leave voters back re-entry by 38 percent for and 26 percent against, while Remain voters are in favor by 68 percent in favor to 5 percent against.
