Brexit

Labour: stop Brexit! New public vote!

After the Parliamentary votes on 29 January, which gave Theresa May a mandate to try to tear up commitments to an “invisible” border in Ireland, Jeremy Corbyn said he would meet her to discuss Brexit terms. Not a good move after previously refusing, since Parliament had just voted to seek an “alternative” to the “backstop” which protects Ireland. On Monday 28 January the Labour front bench said it would abstain on Tory legislation to enable the Tories to write restrictive new immigration laws which would bar many workers and make others insecure with temporary visas. After an outcry, they...

For a Labour special conference on Brexit!

Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) General Secretary Manuel Cortes, a prominent supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, explains “Why I’m calling for a special Labour conference on Brexit” in an interview on The Clarion website . "My confidence is rooted in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Labour members want [Remain and reform]. No party can survive long term without giving its members the ability to influence its policies. More importantly still, perhaps, Jeremy and John have a strong record of seeking to involve ordinary members in decision-making. That’s why I’m calling for a...

"No deal" Brexit means trade disruption with the whole world

According to the Financial Times (18 January), "Britain has failed to finalise most trade deals needed to replace the EU’s 40 existing agreements with leading global economies and will not be close to doing so when Brexit occurs on March 29, according to an internal Whitehall memorandum... "Almost none of them are ready to go now and none will be ready to go by March,” said one government official who has seen the internal analysis of the Department of International Trade’s progress". "No deal" Brexit doesn't just mean the UK losing its arrangements for quick and easy trade flows with the EU...

Call Labour's pro-Brexit wreckers to account!

Talk, fed to the media, of "mass resignations" by junior shadow ministers if Jeremy Corbyn activates Labour Party conference policy and goes for a new public vote on Brexit (Guardian, 18 January 2019) - this is treachery similar to June 2016, only worse. Worse because the talk of resignations is being used to block explicit Labour conference policy, and because it's being done when an early general election is on the cards, or at least Euro-elections held in May after all. Worse again, because the word is that some factions in the Leader's Office are playing a part in feeding this talk to the...

Labour must get off the fence!

labourforasocialisteurope.org facebook.com/labourvsbrexit twitter.com/labourvsbrexit info@labourforasocialisteurope.org Petition form, for hand-to-hand activity Draft motions, for use in Labour Party and trade unions "Fight for free movement" placard "Labour oppose Brexit" placard "Socialist Europe" placard Eventbrite booking link for Labour for a Socialist Europe conference, Saturday 9 March 2019, 11:30 to 5 at Camden School for Girls, Sandall Road, London NW5 2DB 90 Labour activists attended the 12 January public event to launch Labour for a Socialist Europe, the left-wing, Labour-focused...

Jeremy Corbyn: now back a public vote!

Last week Solidarity published an open letter to Jeremy Corbyn from Sacha Ismail, an organiser of the new Labour stop-Brexit campaign Labour for a Socialist Europe. The conclusion of that letter becomes even more urgent after the parliamentary vote on 15 January. We say again to Corbyn: Now you should campaign boldly for a “People’s Vote”, and advocate a vote against Brexit. The argument that a second referendum would be undemocratic and — if the vote went against Brexit — would amount to cheating the victors of the 2016 referendum out of their democratic victory, actually makes no sense, if...

Evasions on the Irish border

What do the DUP say in reply to the objection that a ″no deal″ Brexit - or, indeed, anything less than the ″backstop″ they object to - would bring a new ″hard border″ in Ireland? They say that will never happen, because the Irish and British governments will find ways to avoid it, come what may. That is nonsense. With ″no deal″, there will be tariffs on a huge range of items crossing the border. It is also true, by the way, that the Labour front bench′s scheme of the UK remaining in the EU Customs Union would not stop a hard border. Unless the UK also stays in the Single Market, a hard border...

Labour "rebels" threaten to help May over the line

According to the Daily Mirror today, 10 January: "Theresa May is hoping to win the support of Labour MPs for her Brexit deal by backing key guarantees on workers’ and environmental rights. "The Mirror understands the Government is likely to support an amendment put down by Labour MPs who could be open to backing her in the crunch vote next week. "As many as 20 Labour MPs, most of them with Leave voting seats, could rally behind the Prime Minister's plan if she throws Downing Street's weight behind the move. "Bassetlaw MP John Mann told the Mirror that the amendment would make Mrs May’s deal...

Brexit evasion is putting Labour behind in the polls

Latest polling, in early January, shows the Tories 6% ahead - their biggest lead since the 2017 general election, and at a time when the Tories are in chaos. Individual polls are at best accurate to within a few per cent each way. But a moving average of all recent polls, pooling the random variations, shows that a general election today would probably see Labour's vote go down 6% and the Tories win an absolute majority: http://www.electionpolling.co.uk/polls/general-election . Supporters of the Labour leaders claim that their "triangulation" on Brexit is necessary to avoid Labour losing pro...

It's not true that Britain staying in the EU Customs Union would make the Irish "backstop" unnecessary

The Labour Party front bench has said that Britain remaining in the EU Customs Union would guarantee against a hard border in Ireland. It is not true. To avoid a hard border requires Britain also to be in the Single Market, i.e. to have common economic regulations and free movement. Turkey has a customs union with the EU. There is no free or even easy movement across the Turkish-EU border. It is a "hard border". The Financial Times reported (16 February 2017): "A line of trucks 4km long stretched along the highway, inching along glacially towards the Bulgarian checkpoints. 'Today is a good day...

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.