Posts Tagged ‘Brexit’
Another Europe is Possible Conference as “New leftwing coalition urges Labour to reject Brexit.”
A Vital and Vibrant Conference.
Over 150 voting members, from all over the country, of Another Europe is Possible attended the campaign’s first conference of Saturday.
The day kicked off with Emiliano Melino from the IWGB which organises workers in the ‘gig economy’. His small union, many of whose members do not have British passports, has come out strongly for a People’s Vote on Brexit.
After some initial discussion there were workshops.
In the Lexit atelier Marina Prentoulis spoke of how a small section of the Greek left had become so anti-EU that their nationalism bordered that of the far-right. Contributors noted the development across Europe of a “sovereigntist” current which put issues of national identity and sovereignty in place of socialist internationalism.
The UK Lexit left, both those claiming to oppose ‘borders’, except when voting for Brexit, and those against the free movement of labour, were at an impasse. Speaking on behalf of the British working class they ignored the challenge to develop a Europe-wide strategy of transforming the EU through alliances with the rest of the European left.
After debate, which included discussion of approaches to the British state, the legacy of Official Communism, and the views of the Bermondsey Republican Socialist movement on Britain and Catalonia, there was agreement on launching a broad radical campaign against Brexit.
This is a good summary (Socialist Resistance) of the strategy adopted by Another Europe is Possible.
The conference,
…opted for an approach which could engage the widest possible coalition of radical forces opposed to Brexit.
Most AEIP members are Labour supporters and activists, but the campaign includes the Green Party, Left Unity and a few other organisations. The strategy document and the tenor of the contributions leaves no room for doubt that this a campaign which actively seeks to be radical and distinct from the politics of the pro-referendum campaign fronted by Alistair Campbell and Anna Soubry.
Amelia Womack, Deputy leader of the Green Party, gave a good speech on the benefits of the EU.
Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who has won national attention for revealing that he is HIV positive, gave a resounding and call for action. Describing, with a moving illustration from his case-load, the racism of both the Brexit campaign and its results. The MP expressed concern at Web articles trying to re-brand 20th century ideas of go-it-alone British socialism. Russell-Moyle urged us all to work together for the internationalist ideas of Another Europe.
People stood up to applaud the speakers.
The organisers, who concluded the meeting, should be thanked for their hard work.
And samosas.
A few centre left and far-left Websites continue to pump out pro-Brexit views, such as the Euston Exiteers now given a voice on Harry’s Place.
There, this Monday, Alan Johnson argues for a ‘national popular’ Gramscian strategy, inspired by Norberto Bobbio, to haul up the drawbridge to protect us from Europe.
By contrast, with some optimism and lots of good will, the internationalist side of Another Europe, saw the basis of the creation of a broad left alliance against Brexit.
This can be seen in this news which echoes many of the themes of Saturday’s conference:
New leftwing coalition urges Labour to reject Brexit
Guardian. Jessica Elgot
A leftwing, remain-supporting coalition of Momentum activists, local party chairs and Labour councillors is to create a pop-up pressure group to persuade the Labour leadership to ditch a commitment to Brexit in any snap election manifesto.
The push came as another Labour frontbencher, Rosena Allin-Khan, broke with the party line and backed a second referendum on the final deal in an onstage announcement at a People’s Vote rally on Sunday.
In effect, the group hopes to force a more explicit commitment to a second referendum in the next Labour manifesto and for the party to campaign to remain.
We call on Labour to back remain
With Theresa May’s deal likely to be defeated on Tuesday, and a number of key parliamentary blocs losing confidence in the Tory government, we are facing a period of political crisis and upheaval, and a general election looks increasingly possible.
As Labour members and supporters, we want our party to fight in the months ahead, including in any general election campaign, to stop the anti-working-class disaster that is Brexit.
To quote the official policy passed at Labour conference 2018, we want “a radical government: taxing the rich to fund public services, expanding common ownership, abolishing the anti-union laws and engaging in massive public investment”.
As the party of working people, Labour must defend all the rights threatened by Brexit – workers’ rights, environmental protections, free movement. With the Tory deal published, the realities of Brexit are clearer than ever. Fighting effectively for a radical Labour government means committing to giving the people a final say, and campaigning for remain in that referendum.
In Europe, just as in domestic policy, Labour must offer a radical alternative to the status quo. Our movement must champion a revolt across the continent against austerity, neoliberalism and anti-migrant policies and for a democratic, socialist Europe.
Labour’s policy is shifting, but is not yet committed to stopping Brexit. We will continue the campaign to win Labour to a vision for a radical government leading the fight to transform Europe from within the EU. To this end, and to provide anti-Brexit Labour supporters with a platform, organising framework and programme of activity, we intend to create an independent campaigning coordination within the campaign for a Corbyn-led Labour government.
Catherine West MP
Julie Ward MEP
Luke Cooper Convenor, Another Europe is Possible
Billy Hayes Former general secretary, CWU
Emma Burnell Co-chair, Open Labour
Zoe Williams Journalist
Paul Mackney Former general secretary, UCU
Michael Chessum National organiser, Another Europe is Possible
Alena Ivanova Momentum activist
Marina Prentoulis Senior lecturer at UEA and Another Europe is Possible
Prof Mary Kaldor LSE
Ana Oppenheim Campaigns officer, Hornsey & Wood Green Young Labour
Lynn Morris Open Labour national committee, Canterbury CLP
Rachael Ward Open Labour national committee, Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Rachel Muers Committee member West Yorkshire Open Labour, Leeds North West CLP
Juliet Harris LGBT officer for Open Labour
Jamie D’Arcy Chair, East Midlands Labour
Steve Lapsley Regional Officer, Open Labour
Prof Pauline Stafford Leeds North West CLP
Ralph Berry Bradford councillor
Dr Jo Ingold Leeds North East CLP
Pablo John Leeds North West CLP
Abigail Marshall Katung Leeds North East CLP
Daniel Round Dudley Momentum and Stourbridge CLP
Niccolo Milanese Director of European Alternatives
Rebecca Lawrence Chair, Lewisham Deptford CLP
Marcus Thorne Organiser, Lewisham for Migrants campaign
Marcel Golten Vice-chair, Harrow East CLP
Ana Oppenheim Campaigns officer, Hornsey & Wood Green Young Labour
Obi Saiq Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP youth officer, Picturehouse BECTU rep and activist
Omar Raii London Young Labour committee
Janine Booth TUC Disabled Workers’ Committee, Hackney South CLP Trade Union Liaison
Andrew Coates Ipswich CLP, Unite chair
Christie Neary Croydon NEU activist, NUS Trans Committee
Pat Murphy National Education Union national executive
Justine Canady BFAWU activist
Rhian Keyse Exeter CLP, UCU activist
Barbara Veale Lewisham Deptford CLP
Dave Levy Lewisham Deptford CLP
Lionel Openshaw Lewisham Central branch chair
Cllr Fred Grindrod Birmingham Bournville ward
Tommy Robinson Backs Gilets Jaunes as Far-Right Marches in London Against ‘Brexit Betrayal”
Yellowjackets Movement UK Division said to be Joining Far Right March.
Roads in central London are to be closed off for Sunday’s “Brexit betrayal” demonstration and counter-protests, and officers may ask bars and pubs to shut in the surrounding area.
Robinson, the English Defence League (EDL) founder who has been welcomed into the Ukip fold as an adviser to leader Gerard Batten, has praised rioters in Paris on social media.
Sharing footage of violence and vandalism to his more than one million Facebook followers, he characterised the movement as “anger at the corrupt political class”.
“Revolution is coming, prime minister May should take note,” Robinson wrote, while promoting the protest.
In a subsequent video, he appealed to supporters to be on “impeccable behaviour”, adding: “It’s not a day out for a drink.”
Some are planning to wear yellow vests themselves, and a group calling themselves the “Yellowjackets Movement UK Division (sic)” has formed.
Update:
Second Picture at the bottom shows people wearing Gilets Jaunes on Brexit Betray March:
The French far-right already had the idea:
UNITE’s Len McCluskey tells MPs ‘people’s vote’ could be seen as betrayal: UNITE members launch counter-petition on Free Movement.
McCluskey: “Concerns about immigration and the exploitation of immigrant labour.”
The Guardian Reports:
The Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey, has privately told Labour MPs the party should have severe reservations about backing a fresh Brexit referendum, saying voters could see it as a betrayal.
The deep scepticism from one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest and most powerful supporters is likely to unnerve MPs and campaigners hoping the party is warming to the idea of a fresh Brexit vote.
Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, hit back at McCluskey’s warning, laying bare the tensions in the party.
“To suggest it represents a ‘betrayal’ grossly distorts Labour’s position and is deeply unhelpful to those seeking a solution to an an issue that is reaching crisis proportions,” he told the Guardian.
McClusky is also reported saying this:
Len spoke about tackling people’s concerns about immigration and the exploitation of immigrant labour. He said there would be a sense of betrayal among the members if we went for a second referendum.
“He said the party has to take concerns about immigration into account, and that if politicians had done so sooner we might have avoided the current situation. I wouldn’t say that majority of MPs agreed with him at all. But he gave clear examples where the exploitation of immigrant labour has undermined existing wage levels.”
But…
Shiraz carries this story:
Unite members stand up for free movement after Gen Sec’s comments.
As Unite members, we are concerned by recent reports that our union General Secretary, Len McCluskey, has privately told Labour MPs that we – his members – want them to vote for a Brexit that clamps down on immigration.
We are proud members of a diverse union that brings together workers of all origins to fight for our common interest. As Labour Party conference voted in September: “stagnant wages, crumbling services and the housing crisis are being exacerbated by the government and employers making the rich richer at working people’s expense, and not immigration.” The idea that free movement depresses wages or drives unemployment is a right-wing lie, disproven by the evidence and designed to set workers against one another. As trade unionists, we recognise when xenophobic sentiment is fuelled to divide us, and we expect our General Secretary to reject such harmful rhetoric and stand up for the rank and file members, many of whom are those same migrants!
Clamping down on our freedom to move, live and work across borders will not solve any of the problems we face, which are down to exploitative employers and the right-wing politicians who serve them. In truth, by leaving migrant workers precarious and at the mercy of unscrupulous bosses, it is anti-migrant policies that threaten to undermine all of us. Our union should work to tear down anti-migrant policies, not to build more.
We call on our General Secretary to clarify whether the reports of his comments are accurate. If so, we call on him to withdraw them and instead to stand up for defending and extending free movement and the rights of all his members.
You can sign here.
“Confusion in politics internationally is great.” Lindsey German, Counterfire.
“Great disorder under the Heavens and the situation is excellent.”
The Convener of the Stop the War Coalition and leading member of the groupusucle Counterfire, writes a Weekly Briefing.
It always brings a kind smile weary activist’s’ lips.
Today her latest has a click-bait title: The Brexit blizzard is there to blind us; it’s time to take out the Tories and that means a general election, argues Lindsey German
She begins by talking about the ‘Britain is Broken, We can’t afford the Tories’ campaign which the People’s Assembly (largely Counterfire’s enterprises these days) organised.
After this stirring moment the she shifts to an emollient mood.
The partner of John, ‘actuality of the revolution’ Rees, brought back some happy memories to this reader,
When I first became politically active nearly 50 years ago, there was a sense of working class power in Britain.”
Followed by a swift turn back to the stony realism for which those who who only during the last election were calling for mass action in the streets against the threat of a Tory “coup” can bring to a debate.
Today, while the majority of people still see themselves as working class, there is not that sense of working class power.
Being a kindly gent myself I can only agree with this comment,
The danger is the combination of Labour adopting a second referendum position, while at the same time doing far too little to support and spread the resistance to Tory austerity policies. That would be an unpopular retreat on the one hand, but also a failure to mobilise working class organisation over issues affecting everyone’s lives. In places like Doncaster or Sunderland, where Labour councils are implementing the austerity policies, that could be a very serious failure indeed.
There is much to learn about “neo-liberals” assembled at the G20 summit. One can only applaud that German keeps us on our toes with this bold analysis:
It is hard for anyone to see anything but further crises and conflict coming out of the summit.
After, wisely, avoiding details about the Gilets Jaunes the august leader observes,
The confusion in politics internationally is great – there is bitter resentment of governments but no clear path forward. It’s a big task for the left, but one we have to take on.
How true, how very true.
German claims that,
We can make a start by demonstrating against the fascist Tommy Robinson next Sunday 9 December who is using the Brexit issue to spread his hate. I’m very glad that this looks like being one united demo now – well done to those making that happen.
In a spirit of unity I hope to present her with this seasonal gift:
Galloway’s Former Bagman, Kevin Ovenden, Gives Advice on Fighting Tommy Robinson to Another Europe is Possible.
Ovenden in Previous Unity Offensive with Labour.
Equating fascism with Brexit is disastrous, irresponsible and gives a hand up to Tommy Robinson
Kevin Ovenden is George Galloway’s former Bagman in Respect.
His most recent experience of fighting fascism was his call to fight to the last French person against Marine Le Pen, but not to vote against the Front National in the second round of the French Presidential elections.
This is actually the moment of the fighting left. The agency for rupturing into a half century political settlement has been someone whose politics are actually closer to the patriotic social democratic left than they are to anti-capitalist revolutionaries.
(Here one suspects Ovendon does not actually speak the language)
But the rupture is made, in any case – égal (sic) And that poses a challenge for those of us who are of the anti-capitalist left. Our politics – in a practical, and therefore real sense – were formed out of 1968. In the intervening years it has been easy for them to become buried under sedimentations of formulae and reflexes built up in decades of relative social peace, punctuated by minor eruptions. And with each subsiding of an eruption, so the sediment thickened.
It does mean breaking once and for all with a satellite status orbiting the Socialist Party and the Communist Party. They are dying stars. Out of their orbit is the only way to avoid going down with them.
Today Ovenden is all in favour of unity with interstellar social democracy, the “left leadership of the Labour Party”.
What he is against (a mild way of describing an incontinent rant) is Michael Chessum and Another Europe is Possible .
His charge?
The demo against Brexit and Fascism, called in opposition to Tommy Robinson’s rally Against the ‘Brexit Betrayal’ is wrong to link Brexit and Robinson.
(it) lumps together fascism with Leave – a stupid and dangerous thing to do – and it talks of mobilising only “Remainers”. Most people on the left want to unite the labour movement and working class. This AEIP operation wants to continue to divide it – in just the way that its paymasters in the second referendum campaign want to: weakening left-led Labour.
One assumes that the Labour Party Conference decision to leave a Second Referendum as a possible ‘option’ was a sign of Labour members, and John McDonnell’s interest in the possibility is also weakening Labour.
This “transparently anti-left intervention out of the Blair-Campbell stable” ” suicidal sectarianism” is no doubt unwelcome for Counterfire, which pushes the doomed ‘People’s Brexit”, something few are interested in, even if they have heard of it.
According to the former leading figure of Respect, after having been a long-standing activist in the Socialist Workers Party, Another Europe is saying, “Brexit equals fascism and today’s Labour leaders are “social Brexiters”.
“One of the critical mistakes of the left in the early 1930s was not to recognise the specific danger of fascism and to refer to social democratic leaders as “social fascists”.”
For those not as familiar with the history of Stalinism he is accusing Another Europe of adopting the tactic of the Comintern during the late 1920s, during the ‘Third Period”. This, the Communists asserted, was a time of intensified class against class clashes – following the second period of relative capitalist stablisation, following the first period of the upheaval unleashed by the October Revolution,
“We are witnessing Third Period Liberalism.”
Apparently.
The idea that UKIP adviser Robinson’s Rally needs to be confronted by those who are opposed to his calls against ‘Brexit Betrayal” would seem a reasonable one to most people.
But not to Ovenden of the “fighting left” and his pro-Brexit mates in the revolutionary socialist Counterfire.
He (and he is far from the first from this lot to use the allegation) refers to the Other Europe is Possible “paymasters” and alleges that we are on “the Blairite dime”, that is we are paid for to mount a ” transparently anti-left intervention out of the Blair-Campbell stable.”
He claims that that we should go into the Robinson base and argue.
How can we argue if we are saddled with having to say, “We agree with you lot about leaving the EU, but please we want a nice anti-racist Brexit.”
Socialist Worker and Novara Media Attack Anti-Fascist Anti-Brexit Demo Against Tommy Robinson Great Brexit Betrayal Rally.
Pro-Brexit Rally Calls for Anti-Brexit Response.
The Another Europe is Possible protest “No to Tommy Robinson, No to Brexit” continues to create controversy.
Callum Cant and Benjamin Walters write,
Another Europe is Possible (AEIP) is an ultra-remain campaign group that positions itself as the left wing of the ‘Stop Brexit’ movement. Its support base varies from Alliance for Workers’ Liberty members to Guardian columnist Zoe Williams. AEIP have called for a People’s Vote/Stop Brexit counter-protest to the far right march.
They argue that it’s not enough to simply oppose racism and fascism – we have to specifically oppose Brexit. For them, Brexit is not just a recruiting ground for the far right, it is actually a far right project in its entirety. So, the anti-fascist response has to be to try and stop Brexit.
After having carefully established that AEIP is “ultra”, AWL backed, no less, and, apparently has a view (which is not referenced) on the Brexit basis of the “far right project in its entirety” they outline an alternative.
Cant and Walters argument appears to be that the left needs to talk to Brexit supporters, to weed them away from Robinson and UKIP leadership.
Whereas the Momentum-backed counter-protest is using the slogan ‘No to Tommy Robinson, No to Fortress Britain’ without taking a line on Brexit, AEIP are linking together an ultra-remain position with an anti-fascist position. This is a very bad mistake.
It is a mistake because it maps the political division of the Brexit debate (48% Remain, 52% Leave) onto the political division between fascists and anti-fascists (90% anti-fascist, 10% fascist). It gives Robinson exactly what he wants: leadership.
Instead of challenging his attempt to lead Leave voters and splitting the hard core of the far right away from the 52%, it consolidates his position from the other side of a police line. Robinson is a general looking for an army. AEIP’s line, if pursued, will do much to form his battalions for him.
Yes, we “all hate Tommy”.
But, one might ask how, as they suggest, is the left going to lead Leave voters?
By arguing for a People’s Brexit?
By saying that a Brexit Britain with a “socialist economy” will be (as a Counterfire contributor put it recently) a “Beacon” off the shores of Europe?
Brexit is not a “floating signifier” that you can moor to the left’s politics.
It is a reactionary project through and through.
Trying another tack the authors assert,
…..anti-fascist fronts should only express the limited politics necessary to defeat the fascists on the day. They should appeal to as many people as possible (regardless of what they think about Brexit). They should recognise that the goal of the front is only to prevent the fascists from taking leadership.
Just how limited?
They argue that the demonstration called by the SWP Fronts Stand Up To Racism and Unite Against Fascism is against ‘Fortress Europe” is such a step
It is against Europe, that’s for sure.
Here is the SWP:
Unite and stop the racists and fascists on 9 December
Tomáš Tengely-Evans writes,
The Another Europe Is Possible campaign has called a separate mobilisation under the dangerous slogan of “No to Tommy Robinson—no to Brexit”. The organisers link opposition to Robinson to demands for a “People’s Vote” to stop Brexit.
Racism against migrants pushed by both Tory Brexiteers and Labour “centrists” who want to block Brexit has added to the racist atmosphere.
So the ‘limited’ united front is also against “Labour ‘centrists'”.
The SWP view on “anti-fascists” who “send volunteers to the Middle East to fight Isis” is not known.
In the meantime back in the real world of Brexit:
Back the No to Tommy Robinson, No to Brexit March on December the 9th!
No to Tommy Robinson, No to Brexit!
The far right is marching for Brexit. Will the left stand against it?
writes in the Guardian today,
The far-right activist Tommy Robinson will march on London under the banner of “Brexit Betrayal” on Sunday 9 December – just two days before the parliamentary vote on Theresa May’s deal. The demonstration represents the real-life, undeniable intersection of the Brexit project and the far right. The response of both the left and the anti-Brexit movement could define them for years to come.
….
Another Europe is Possible has, along with a series of prominent left figures, called for an explicitly anti-Brexit mobilisation on 9 December, which will build numbers for a joint general anti-fascist protest…
But, above all, what happens now is a litmus test for the British left. Brexit means the biggest expansion of border controls in decades. It will vindicate and mainstream the far right’s narratives on immigration and aggressive nationalism. With a negotiated compromise deal in place, signed by either the Tories or Labour, Robinson’s campaign against an imagined national betrayal will go on indefinitely, nourished by the victory of the wider Brexit project.
From the Another Europe is Possible site.
On December 9th, we will rally in Parliament Square. Join us to demand:
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Vote down the Brexit deal
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Give the people a final say
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Stop the far right – defend free movement.
Join the Facebook event here. Share and invite everyone you know.
On December 9th, the day before parliament votes on Theresa May’s deal, the far right will march on London under the banner of “Brexit Betrayal”. We will mobilise, in massive numbers, to combat their message of hate and division. And we will demand a serious alternative: a society that works for everyone, and a final say for the people on Brexit.
Cllr Graham Campbell, SNP BAME Convenor and SNP Trade Union Group
A dissenting voice comes from the Revolutionary Socialist group Counterfire.
Lindsey German says,
Another Europe is Possible have called a counter-protest which links opposing Robinson with opposing Brexit. This is unbelievably crass politically. It links Brexit voters to the far right – wrong. It builds up Robinson as the leader of Brexit – wrong. It prevents leave voters who oppose fascism from joining their demo – wrong. And it narrows the number of people who potentially would demonstrate – wrong.
I hope the organisers will think again on this. But given their closeness to some of those who back policies which helped lead to the far right growing in the first place, like Vince Cable and Alastair Campbell, I’m not holding my breath.
Bashing Counterfire is about the easiest sport in the world, but German’s comments are spectacularly stupid even by the groupuscule’s low standards.
German appeared last week on a platform with people who laid a hefty part of the blame for British economic problems on ‘German’ capital and migrant labour.
Counterfire voted, with the far-right, UKIP, and the Tory right, to back Brexit, a major opportunity for Robinson’s politics to grow.
Robinson is now an official adviser for UKIP…..
As Michael Chessum says,
The left now faces a choice. As the far right and the Brexit project intersect, it can connect these dots, and fight against the politics of Brexit while presenting its wider radical vision for society. Or it can stand aside from history.
Update: the following post appears today in the Hard Brexit (Bolshevik) Morning Star today: Don’t play Tommy Robinson’s game
Don’t play Tommy’s game
I was a reluctant Remain voter, who, like others, saw what the EU did to Greece. I have witnessed the far-right and right-wing populist forces getting stronger across Europe and fear that the next European Elections will strengthen the most reactionary, authoritarian and racist forces within the EU. I also fear the potential for the far right to become much bigger here. This is not at all the time to split our forces on the question of racism and fascism, so I appeal to Another Europe is Possible to join a united effort to stop Batten and Robinson’s street movement in its tracks.
In other words, do nothing to fight against far-right populists about their opposition to the EU but unite with those Brexit Bolsheviks in a “united front” when Robinson appears in public to demonstrate against Brexit Betrayal.
There is pretty contorted logic at work here.
