The SNP today attacked Labour for "endorsing a Tory hard Brexit" and for rejecting the EU's proposal for the UK to take part in a youth mobility scheme as the party goes on the offensive against Sir Keir Starmer's party.

Newly re-elected MP Stephen Gethins told delegates on the final day of his party's three day conference in Edinburgh that Brexit had made the UK poorer and was contributing to the current cost of living crisis and financial squeeze on public services.

"Every political generation should leave more opportunities and a better world for future gnerations than they had themselves.

"This is the first political generation not for any wars, or for anything that was outside of our control, but for a political decision endorsing a hard Brexit that leaves our future generations with fewer opportunities that is a basic failing of politics and a basic failing of Westminster to each and every person coming after us," said Mr Gethins.

"I cannot fathom why the Labour party, the Labour party would endorse a hard Tory Brexit never argued for during the Brexit referendum, and a hard Tory Brexit they even today refuses freedom of movement for under 30s, refuses the opportunity that I had and many in the hall had, and that many in the Westminster government had."

Speaking after the conference Q&A Mr Gethins, who is the party's spokesman on international relations at Westminster, said his party would press the UK Government to join the EU youth mobility scheme.

 "Scotland's best future is as an independent country and EU member state. That is the only way to escape the damage of Brexit, rejoin the world's largest single market, and build a strong and prosperous future," he said.

"While Scotland remains part of the UK, the SNP will make the case for the closest possible relationship with our European neighbours - including calling for the UK government to sign up to an EU youth mobility scheme."

He added: "Young Scots are paying the price for the Labour government's damaging Brexit obsession. It's harming economic growth, increasing the cost of living, and robbing young people of the chance to live, work and study across Europe.

"The SNP will press Keir Starmer to take the UK into an EU youth mobility scheme without delay - and we will continue to make the case that full EU membership offers the best route to the strongest future for Scotland."

The EU has proposed offering a scheme to under 30s in the UK where they could live, work or study in the EU27 for a temporary period with a reciprocal arrangement in place for EU young people to work, study and live in the UK.

However, the Prime Minister does not currently support such a scheme as he is concerned it could open up a model of free movement, which Labour, which supports Brexit, does not want.

Last week senior academics in Scotland made clear their backing for such a programme.

Professor Anton Muscatelli, principal and vice chancellor of Glasgow University praised the German ambassador to the UK Miguel Berger for making the case for the scheme, speaking after the PM visited the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

"It was very good to hear the German Ambassador to the UK support the case for an EU-UK youth mobility programme," Professor Muscatelli wrote on X.

"It’s a win-win for both parties and it has nothing to do with freedom of movement. It will reinforce cultural and education bonds at a crucial time."

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Berger said a UK agreement with the EU on youth mobility "should be in the British interest".

"There are many misunderstandings about what youth mobility really means. It is not freedom of movement, it has nothing to do with migration.

"It means that young people, who are really those who have most lost because of Brexit, that they have the possibility to come to the European Union, to come to the United Kingdom, for a limited amount of time, and then they will leave.

"So, it's enhancing the possibilities for young people. That's what we want. And it's not only Germany, I can tell you all the 27 in the European Union want to enhance that."

However, Mr Berger suggested that if the PM does not back a youth mobility scheme Britain won't get the broader deal - including a veterinary agreement - it wants with the EU.

He was pressed what the UK would get in return for backing a new deal with the EU.

Mr Berger replied: "Youth mobility should also be in the British interest. Young people from this country might want to live for a year in Berlin or in Madrid or in Paris, and the youth mobility scheme would open that possibility.

"What can we gain? I think we all could gain, for example, by a veterinary agreement, which would reduce prices in the supermarket."