For over 45 years, and based on my early involvement with the issue in the Foreign Office, I have contested the issue of Britain’s membership of what was the Common Market and then grew into the EU, and I have always been on the losing side. It could be argued that my own political career, and my bid to lead the Labour Party, were adversely affected by what was often seen as an odd aberration. I argued over this whole period that the EU is not Europe and that the actual and very particular arrangement we were offered was not only inimical to Britain’s interests but was not the way to build a better and more lasting European cooperation and identity. Continue reading
Posted in Europe
Staring into the abyss
Sometimes the rush of the commenentariat to express opinions about contemporary events can seem cynical and ill considered. But I was impressed by two articles which must have been written as almost instant reactions to the tragic murder of Jo Cox, one by Alex Massie in the Spectator and one by Polly Toynbee in the Guardian. I felt that both writers spoke for me in expressing what I was thinking myself.
The mainstream Brexit referendum campaign has been fought on the ground of immigration and hostility to foreigners. Demagogues from the right and centre right have unleashed the crudest and basest of emotions in a cynical and irresponsible pitch to get their vote out. Continue reading
Share:
EC referendum: socialists should stay in and fight!
An excellent article in New Left Review a while back pointed out that the then Common Market was originally set up to counter the then perceived threat of the USSR, to promote capitalism in Europe, and to give Europe a greater say on the World Stage against the hegemony of the US.
In fact it is argued De Gaulle of France was originally against the UK joining because he believed it would act as a Trojan Horse for the US (which eventually happened) and the dollar was soon to dominate which I would add may explain the enthusiasm of some for the Euro. Continue reading
Share:
The EU referendum – nine days to go
Is there anything new that can be said about the EU referendum? Probably not, but it is perhaps worth reflecting on a number of aspects of the campaign and its possible different outcomes, given that it is now apparent that there is a serious likelihood that either Brexit or Bremain win, but by a small margin in either case. It looks unlikely that either side will win with a margin large enough ( I would say at least 42/58% ) to be accepted as definitive, as was the case in 1975 ( 33/67% ). This means that it is likely that the losing side would continue campaigning for a future referendum to reverse the result, just as the SNP have done over Scottish independence. Continue reading
Share:
Why I shall vote to remain in the EU
Back in 1975 I did not just oppose membership of the EU, I actively campaigned against it. In the 1990s I strongly opposed Britain’s membership of the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). My opposition to the Labour leadership’s support for ERM helped ensure that I did not get chosen as Parliamentary candidate at the time. I won a modest 6 votes at a General Committee Meeting that in 1991 selected the next MP for Dulwich and West Norwood! (While I was to be vindicated by Britain’s eviction from the ERM in September 1992 that was no comfort as Labour, having backed the ERM, was unable to capitalize on the huge political damage caused to the Conservatives by the Black Wednesday fiasco.) Continue reading
