It is now clear that a substantial section of the left in the Labour Party has come to the conclusion that the UK should leave the EU, a position enormously enhanced by the TUC statement this week that any deal involving a diminution in employment or social rights that Cameron won prior to the referendum […]
Posts Tagged ‘EU Referendum’
What might Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘social movement’ look like?
Aug 4th, 2015 by Luke Barratt.Time and again, as interviewers repeatedly thrust the issue of Jeremy Corbyn’s apparent unelectability in his face like a pet owner forcing their dog to keep looking at the mess it’s just made on the carpet, he has insisted that Labour “must become a social movement again”. To most Corbynites, this is an obvious truth. […]
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Austerity is a hard untruth for Europe to swallow
Jul 20th, 2015 by Max Leak.The most galling aspect of the Conservative Party’s ongoing political success is that its all-important austerity narrative is objectively, straightforwardly untrue. Every Conservative politician of note must be fully aware of this, and there are no words to describe the cynicism that it requires to keep trotting out the flagrant lie, year in, year out. […]
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On the EU: “U-turn if you want to” and Dave does, a lot
Jun 10th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.A month into Dave’s second term at it’s handbags at dawn in the Tory party already. What a shame. Rattled by last week’s announcement of 50 No-Ultras that they exist, Dave did a characteristic volte-face. In an attempt to appear tough and in control – his re-election campaign did, after all, promise “strong leadership” – he declared […]
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There’s more to Cameron’s bringing forward the EU referendum than meets the eye
May 13th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.Cameron’s reasoning for his sudden decision to bring forward the date of the Brexit referendum on Europe from 2017 to 2016 is unconvincing. He said it was to avoid an embarrassing clash with French presidential elections and German federal elections that take place in 2017. But like so many of Cameron’s explanations, it’s worth unpicking […]
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The current Tory hysterics over Europe have tarnished the real role of referenda
May 31st, 2013 by Michael Meacher.There are two kinds of referenda – those that are for the benefit of the political class and those that are for the benefit of the public. They are quite different. When referenda are mooted, it is invariably the former kind. Political leaders only consent to holding a referendum when they are almost certain to win […]
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Tories are having a hissy fit, but what’s Labour’s view on Europe?
May 15th, 2013 by Michael Meacher.Today we’ll see one of the most bizarre votes that the Commons have ever seen. Here we have the PLP whipped to support the government in rejecting an amendment put down to the Queen’s Speech by the Tory Right which Cameron is now supporting being tabled against his own legislative programme. This pantomime reflects the […]
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Ed Miliband’s brave decisions: Europe is the latest
Jan 25th, 2013 by Michael Meacher.Ed Miliband is constantly under-estimated. He is not as charismatic as Blair, but he is principled in a way that Blair was not, and in politics that is priceless. He is also brave while Blair was not. Blair opted to define himself by taking on his own party and by deferentially siding with those with […]
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The long fall-out from the referendum vote
Oct 25th, 2011 by Michael Meacher.To the innocent outsider it may seem odd or eccentric that the Tory party can so regularly self-destruct over Europe. Yes, there’s plenty wrong with the EU – not least a sovereign debt crisis and a Eurozone economic structure which is currently untenable, but also a democratic deficit and genuine problems arising from the free […]
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Referendum rebels and abstainers named
Oct 25th, 2011 by Jon Lansman.In yesterdays EU referendum vote, much attention has been given to the rebels. Here we name not only the rebels, but also the abstainers. The referendum proposal was defeated by 483 to 111. The DUP, Independent Unionist and Green supported the Referendum as did 101 rebels comprising 81 Tories (42.4% of the 191 “non-payroll” vote), […]
