Rachel Reeves’ push to improve EU ties remains boxed in by red lines | Heather Stewart

Chancellor's visit to EU meeting looks for smoother trade to improve growth but youth mobility scheme remains sticking point

Rachel Reeves is seeking a deeper, more mature relationship" between Britain and the EU: this was her central message to the bloc's finance ministers in Brussels a fortnight ago.

In her brief speech to the meeting of her European counterparts - the first a UK chancellor had attended since Brexit - Reeves mentioned the UK's relationship with the EU nine times.