Today, Amanda Martin, MP for Portsmouth has written to schools and colleges as well as [council] to ask for their support in backing Erasmus+ to unlock opportunities for young people to train and study abroad, following the Labour government securing the UK’s return to the scheme.
- Amanda Martin MP for writes to schools, colleges and Portsmouth City Council on new opportunities for local children
- Part of initiative to broaden horizons of Portsmouth’s disadvantaged children
- Erasmus to enable Portsmouth’s young people to study and train abroad
It forms part of an initiative to ensure that young people in Portsmouth North get access to horizon-expanding visits, training, placements, learning opportunities and skills regardless of their background or prior connections.
At the UK-EU Summit in May, the Labour government secured a closer relationship with the EU, delivering a deal that supports jobs, cuts bills, and secures borders. The renewed relationship aligns with Labour’s approach to making the UK a great trading nation once again, securing closer cooperation with the EU while striking deals with countries like the US and India.
Both the Conservatives and Reform UK pledge to scrap the deal with the EU, despite it having cut paperwork and costly red tape for businesses while opening up opportunities for young people. Both Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage are on record in support of youth mobility schemes, leaving them open to accusations of inconsistency and political point-scoring.
But Amanda sees the Erasmus deal as a valuable opportunity for portsmouth’s young people – one they are seeking to grab with both hands.
Amanda Martin, Labour MP for Portsmouth North, said: “Joining Erasmus+ will open up opportunities again to study and train abroad regardless of background.
“I want is Portsmouth’s young people to be at the centre of Erasmus+ and a new relationship with our European allies.
“That’s why I have written to local schools and colleges, as well as Portsmouth City Council, to ask them to partner with me to secure those life-changing opportunities for our children.”
Erasmus+ will bring approximately £60 million in funding for schools, £80 million for Vocational Education & Training, £20 million for adult education, £40m for Youth, as well as access to a pot of c.£1bn managed by the European Commission for wider policy cooperation projects. The first funding window will open in November 2026.
The new partnership complements Labour’s wider education agenda with has brought free breakfast clubs, school based nurseries, free school meals, cheaper uniform costs to Portsmouth North.
