European Union

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...

Brexit: what the Labour front bench has said

On 9 November Jeremy Corbyn responded to the German magazine Der Spiegel: "Spiegel: If you could stop Brexit, would you? "Corbyn: We can't stop it. The referendum took place. Article 50 has been triggered. What we can do is recognize the reasons why people voted Leave". On 18 November Jeremy Corbyn told Sky News: "Brexit has been triggered... We voted for Article 50 [the formal application for Brexit]... We couldn't stop it [Brexit]... I want to say to the Government... go back now [and renegotiate]..." Pressed on whether "no Brexit" is better than "no deal", he said: "That's not an option we...

A cross-class Remain campaign would be a compromise of principle

The Brexit crisis is perhaps the most significant moment in politics in Britain for a generation or more. The internationalist, class-struggle socialist left must, within our capacities, intervene in that moment to articulate an independent working-class politics. The arguments between pro-Remain and pro-Brexit tendencies within the left are well rehearsed. Of equal importance are arguments within the pro-Remain left around substantive politics. Zoe Williams, the Guardian journalist and prominent supporter of Another Europe Is Possible (AEIP), set out the questions in a 7 December article for...

Tories out, Brexit out!

Solidarity goes to press soon after Tory prime minister Theresa May decided to delay the parliamentary vote on her EU withdrawal deal, maybe until January, and to seek “reassurances” from the EU to sweeten the deal. The deal would have been heavily defeated if put to the House of Commons as scheduled on 11 December. This impasse makes great openings for the labour movement. We can bring down the Tory government, force an early general election, stop Brexit, and save free movement within Europe. That requires Labour shifting to a clearer, sharper version of the “Remain and Reform” policy it...

AEIP opens out

Solidarity and Workers' Liberty have worked with Another Europe is Possible since the referendum campaign in 2016. On 20 October we joined the "left bloc" organised by AEIP for the big People's Vote demonstration that day. So far, however, AEIP has operated as a sort of left NGO. It has gained philanthropic grants which pay for an office staff, supervised by a rather shadowy "board" or "steering group". On 25 October AEIP opened itself up to supporters to join. It announced that it will be holding a members' conference on 8 December in London, and that members will now have "a say in how we...

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.