DAILY MAIL COMMENT: It's Brexit betrayal humiliation for Andy Burnham... as he tugs his forelock to Brussels AGAIN

The only thing less surprising than Andy Burnham 's Brexit betrayal is the rush by the EU to poke its nose into our affairs. As part of the price for the Prime Minister's 'reset' in relations, negotiators in Brussels are pressuring the Government to abandon plans for the increased deportation of European criminals. Mr Burnham has already drawn up a string of humiliating concessions including cheaper university fees and entry to the UK for up to 100,000 EU nationals per year under a 'youth experience scheme'.

Under a 200-page draft plan, it is also expected that British food exports will have to conform to standards set by Brussels. No one needed a clairvoyant's services to see any of this coming. The Eurocrats were never going to allow Britain back into their precious club - even as an associate member - without inflicting some form of demeaning punishment for the Leave vote. None of this seems to faze Mr Burnham, whose readiness to tug the forelock in Brussels' direction knows no bounds.

It speaks volumes about his arrogance that he is prepared to drag an unwilling nation back into Europe's clammy grasp, despite not even having a mandate to be in Downing Street . Andy Burnham has already drawn up a string of humiliating concessions including cheaper university fees and entry to the UK for up to 100,000 EU nationals per year under a 'youth experience scheme' His blueprint for Brussels shows utter contempt for the democratic will of the people who actually pay his wages.

But the situation will get far worse if he succeeds in his ultimate goal of coercing Britain back into full membership of the EU. The conditions being set down now by the Eurocrats are the thin end of the wedge. Their demands and diktats will get louder if this ludicrous charade continues. And with a prime minister desperate to ingratiate himself with all-comers - and particularly anyone flashing an embossed business card from EU HQ - the end result could be disastrous.

Labour's jobs shame Even Labour must realise that its ill-conceived policies are largely to blame for the youth unemployment figures . New research shows that the cost of hiring 18 to20-year-olds has increased at three times the rate of inflation since Labour returned to power less than two-and-a-half years ago. Against that backdrop, it is hardly surprising that job vacancies have fallen below 700,000 for the first time since 2014 (excluding the Covid pandemic).

Recent data shows there are around one million 16 to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training (Neets). It is bad enough that the Government has allowed its blinkered socialist dogma to put so many businesses under unbearable pressure. But it is even more shameful that so many of the nation's young have been priced out of the jobs market through no fault of their own. Minding the gap The credibility gap between the PM and Kemi Badenoch grows wider all the time.

Yesterday saw the Tory leader speaking persuasively about Britain's defence. Meanwhile, the Labour boss was effectively flagellating himself and offering tens of millions of pounds in taxpayers' money to foreign nations that could surely be put to better use at home. Little wonder the gap in support for their respective parties is narrowing. Not only does the PM appear out of touch (and out of his depth), Mrs Badenoch increasingly looks like she should be the one running the country.