Transform Britain, transform Europe
Following the results of the European Parliamentary elections, Labour has reflected.
It is clear there are more voters in favour of Remaining in the European Union, than leaving – the reverse of the ill-fated referendum promoted by our political opponents in 2016.
Now as then the real division in society is not between those who voted Leave and Remain, but between the many and the few.
What we in the Labour Party now recognise is that there is no Brexit capable of addressing the issues that matter to people.
We need a general election to deliver a radical Labour government – able to tackle austerity both here and, with our sister parties, in Europe.
If the UK were to leave the EU with No Deal as sought by the majority of Conservatives both in parliament and the country, austerity will not end. Instead, we face years of negotiations and trade deals that deregulate our economy in the interests of the few, making it much harder to deliver our radical manifesto.
We can all see now that Brexit is a Tory project, and Labour opposes it. It would mean a victory for the nationalist right, and is a threat to our rights, jobs, NHS, public services and the fight against climate change.
But we also accept our responsibility for supporting the EU Referendum Act and agreeing to respect the outcome in 2016. It was a mistake.
We can only answer insecurity and exploitation with hope and solidarity to bring the country together. We will rebuild communities with investment, expand common ownership, boost wages and union rights, and challenge the narratives of the nationalist right. Free movement is a workers’ right which we will defend.
The Leave vote is more than three years old, and there is no clear democratic mandate for any Brexit settlement. The democratic imperative now is for the people to have the final say. Labour will back Remain in that public vote.
Labour is an internationalist party, with a duty to challenge the far right. We will campaign for a Europe-wide Green New Deal, levelling up of wages, democratising European institutions, ending Fortress Europe, and an international strategy to tax the rich and corporations.
What is critical now is how to maximise our chances of securing a vote of no-confidence (VNC) in the Tories as soon as their new leader is elected and asked by HM to form a new government (if not before). A VNC has no chance unless we are unequivocally for a Confirmatory Vote and ready to campaign to Remain and win a GE to tackle austerity in government. Mealy mouthed words about the quirks of the Euro-elections will wreck any chance of re-fixing the idea in the minds of voters that Labour is a party of government.
If Seumas Milne is incapable of drafting the appropriate words then he should be sacked.