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Corbyn's intervention on Europe proves silence can be golden Corbyn's intervention on Europe proves silence can be golden
(about 3 hours later)
Has Jeremy Corbyn’s overnight intervention on David Cameron’s EU renegotiation been helpful to Labour’s electoral prospects? Or is he helping undermine the “Yes to Europe” campaign he purports to support, cooking the prime minister’s goose and possibly his own as well as Europe’s in the process? “Contagion” that’s the new buzz word among nervous leaders. Has Jeremy Corbyn’s overnight intervention on David Cameron’s EU renegotiation been helpful to Labour’s electoral prospects? Or is he helping undermine the “Yes to Europe” campaign he purports to support, cooking the prime minister’s goose and possibly his own as well as Europe’s in the process? “Contagion” is the new buzz word among nervous leaders.
I can’t confidently claim to have the answer. Corbyn rarely makes substantial policy interventions, probably because he is preoccupied with internal party affairs, trying to create unity of purpose and discipline, challenges which are new to him. I’m told he’s enjoying being unexpected leader after all.I can’t confidently claim to have the answer. Corbyn rarely makes substantial policy interventions, probably because he is preoccupied with internal party affairs, trying to create unity of purpose and discipline, challenges which are new to him. I’m told he’s enjoying being unexpected leader after all.
As Martin Kettle notes today, Corbyn’s condemnation of No 10’s dramatic cliffhanger of a negotiation in Brussels as “a theatrical sideshow” aligns him with Tim Montgomerie, the wholesome Thatcherite activist, clever but innocent, who tore up his Tory party card in euro-induced frustration yesterday. As Martin Kettle notes today, Corbyn’s condemnation of No 10’s dramatic cliffhanger of a negotiation in Brussels as “a theatrical sideshow” aligns him with Tim Montgomerie, the wholesome Thatcherite activist, clever but innocent, who tore up his Tory party card in Euro-induced frustration yesterday.
Tim and Jeremy do make some good points. In whatever form it emerges the “emergency brake” on welfare payments won’t act as much of a deterrent on EU migration (especially when added to George Osborne’s promised rise in the minimum wage). As Corbyn argued, the exploitation of migrant workers at the expense of British ones will continue.Tim and Jeremy do make some good points. In whatever form it emerges the “emergency brake” on welfare payments won’t act as much of a deterrent on EU migration (especially when added to George Osborne’s promised rise in the minimum wage). As Corbyn argued, the exploitation of migrant workers at the expense of British ones will continue.
Related: EU summit: 'English lunch' delayed until tea time – live
But there’s rarely sustained coherence in a Corbyn speech and Q&A (he was in Brussels too on Thursday). Don’t forget he has attended pro-immigration rallies and spoken up for them as well as for refugees since winning the leadership last September. “I want to see the continuing right of movement of people across Europe,” he said again yesterday.But there’s rarely sustained coherence in a Corbyn speech and Q&A (he was in Brussels too on Thursday). Don’t forget he has attended pro-immigration rallies and spoken up for them as well as for refugees since winning the leadership last September. “I want to see the continuing right of movement of people across Europe,” he said again yesterday.
When Corbyn’s checklist of what Cameron should have fought for includes democratisation, workers’ rights, an end to austerity and a halt to the perceived privatisation of public services, you wonder where he’s leading us all. The EU is right to insist on the mighty British financial services industry “should face the same regulation all across Europe,” he added. When Corbyn’s checklist of what Cameron should have fought for includes democratisation, workers’ rights, an end to austerity and a halt to the perceived privatisation of public services, you wonder where he’s leading us all. The EU is right to insist the mighty British financial services industry “should face the same regulation all across Europe”, he added.
I’m all for a weekly spot of banker bashing, but Corbyn’s proposal suggests he and his advisers aren’t looking very hard either at the EU’s regulatory regime or the state of its big banks. Failure to address whatever dud loans are lurking in their balances - unlike British and US banks - is one reason for the eurozone’s sluggish recovery from the bank smash of 2008-9. I’m all for a weekly spot of banker bashing, but Corbyn’s proposal suggests he and his advisers aren’t looking very hard either at the EU’s regulatory regime or the state of its big banks. Failure to address whatever dud loans are lurking in their balances – unlike British and US banks – is one reason for the eurozone’s sluggish recovery from the bank smash of 2008-9.
Yes, I mean you too, Deutsche Bank. They all blamed “Anglo Saxon” free markets for the smash. They were wrong and still are. That’s why so many Europeans - 2 million people, according to one new report, 3 million according to the Daily Mail – are working here, including 500,000 ambitious, mostly young French people. Yes, I mean you too, Deutsche Bank. They all blamed “Anglo Saxon” free markets for the smash. They were wrong and still are. That’s why so many Europeans – 2 million people, according to one new report, 3 million according to the Daily Mail – are working here, including 500,000 ambitious, mostly young French people.
It’s also why Liberation’s “In or Out” headline in Paris on Thursday was so embarrassing for progressive France. As knee-jerk as the Sun’s. It’s a denial of their own deep structural problems for which Marine Le Pen ( champion of “Frexit”, the new contagion) has such malign answers, promises to hard+pressed citizens which she will be unable to fulfill. It’s also why Liberation’s “In or Out” headline in Paris on Thursday was so embarrassing for progressive France. As knee-jerk as the Sun’s. It’s a denial of their own deep structural problems for which Marine Le Pen ( champion of “Frexit”, the new contagion) has such malign answers, promises to hard-pressed citizens which she will be unable to fulfill.
So it’s good that Corbyn is saying that Labour will campaign for a Yes regardless of Cameron’s package, whatever it turns out to be, the agreed position with the shadow cabinet and most Labour MPs. But it’s undermined by our awareness that JC’s CV suggests a fundamental mistrust of Europe as a capitalist ramp. That was Labour’s 1980-87 position before it decided to try and win elections again, echoes of which are founds in his hostility to the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP or “ Tee-Tip” ) repeated again yesterday. Related: The Guardian view on Labour and Europe: voice of the nation time | Editorial
So it’s good that Corbyn is saying Labour will campaign for a yes regardless of Cameron’s package, whatever it turns out to be, the agreed position with the shadow cabinet and most Labour MPs. But it is undermined by our awareness that JC’s CV suggests a fundamental mistrust of Europe as a capitalist ramp. That was Labour’s 1980-87 position before it decided to try to win elections again, echoes of which are found in his hostility to the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP or “Tee-tip” ) repeated again yesterday.
It’s not good that his official “Yes to Europe” stance is not very coherent or persuasive. Does he favour the four open market principles which Margaret Thatcher embraced in the highly integrationist Single European Act (SEA) 1986?It’s not good that his official “Yes to Europe” stance is not very coherent or persuasive. Does he favour the four open market principles which Margaret Thatcher embraced in the highly integrationist Single European Act (SEA) 1986?
Yes, that Thatcher, and she didn’t concede a referendum either. She was a pragmatist, one who advised Tony Blair in 1997 to never open an EU negotiation demanding something you can’t win. It’s always good advice. Her old Eurosceptic foe Neil Kinnock thinks Cameron may have got all he could expect.Yes, that Thatcher, and she didn’t concede a referendum either. She was a pragmatist, one who advised Tony Blair in 1997 to never open an EU negotiation demanding something you can’t win. It’s always good advice. Her old Eurosceptic foe Neil Kinnock thinks Cameron may have got all he could expect.
Those SEA “four freedoms” were the unhindered movement of goods, services, capital and people across what is now the 28 member EU, all part of the drive towards an integrated market which has never really been completed. Those SEA “four freedoms” were the unhindered movement of goods, services, capital and people across what is now the 28 member EU, all part of the drive towards an integrated market that has never really been completed.
So goods move easily enough (though don’t try to buy a French power station), capital moves (though EU capital markets lack the depth and dynamism of America’s) and services at which the Brits are good have proved a disappointment (selling insurance into 28 differently regulated domestic markets is rarely worth the trouble). So goods move easily enough (though don’t try to buy a French power station), capital moves (though EU capital markets lack the depth and dynamism of the US’s) and services at which the Brits are good have proved a disappointment (selling insurance into 28 differently regulated domestic markets is rarely worth the trouble).
What no one foresaw in 1986 was the scale of free movement of people. Unlike the US, analysts then said, we don’t have a common language. It’s easier to move from Ohio in a rust belt recession to booming Texas (and back again) than from Glasgow to Naples or Frankfurt.What no one foresaw in 1986 was the scale of free movement of people. Unlike the US, analysts then said, we don’t have a common language. It’s easier to move from Ohio in a rust belt recession to booming Texas (and back again) than from Glasgow to Naples or Frankfurt.
They didn’t bargain for a wave of east European EU entrants after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 – both major Thatcher projects by the way – which opened up high-wage labour markets to migration from low-wage countries, most conspicuously since 2004 bilingual graduates and hardworking builders from Poland.They didn’t bargain for a wave of east European EU entrants after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989 – both major Thatcher projects by the way – which opened up high-wage labour markets to migration from low-wage countries, most conspicuously since 2004 bilingual graduates and hardworking builders from Poland.
Related: Mass EU migration into Britain is actually good news for UK economy
Corbyn’s policies might require a Labour government to attempt some curb on capital flight – just ask the Greeks or Spaniards, then check it out with communist China – all part of the globalised economy. He talks of promoting manufacturing. Excellent, but it’s hard work, made harder by higher taxes on enterprise, real enterprise as well as casino banking. Services would love some more help cracking open EU markets.Corbyn’s policies might require a Labour government to attempt some curb on capital flight – just ask the Greeks or Spaniards, then check it out with communist China – all part of the globalised economy. He talks of promoting manufacturing. Excellent, but it’s hard work, made harder by higher taxes on enterprise, real enterprise as well as casino banking. Services would love some more help cracking open EU markets.
But the free movement of people? That’s the issue driving the Brexit bandwagon, isn’t it? We need some migrants, especially skilled ones, though it would be nice if the whinging curry house industry trained more chefs here than demanding the right to bring in cheaper ones, as it did this week.But the free movement of people? That’s the issue driving the Brexit bandwagon, isn’t it? We need some migrants, especially skilled ones, though it would be nice if the whinging curry house industry trained more chefs here than demanding the right to bring in cheaper ones, as it did this week.
But Labour got it wrong in not using the transition handbrake that France and Germany deployed against eastern Europe after 2004. Voters know that, even if Labour ministers of the period have been slow to admit error. Five million extra people in barely a decade is a lot to absorb and whether it’s a good or bad thing (it may be both) depends on where you’re sitting.But Labour got it wrong in not using the transition handbrake that France and Germany deployed against eastern Europe after 2004. Voters know that, even if Labour ministers of the period have been slow to admit error. Five million extra people in barely a decade is a lot to absorb and whether it’s a good or bad thing (it may be both) depends on where you’re sitting.
Until Corbyn can square that circle convincingly, he might be wise to be quieter. He manages to be so on plenty of other burning issues. Even in our crazy 24/7 world silence can be golden, as every great stage actor knows.Until Corbyn can square that circle convincingly, he might be wise to be quieter. He manages to be so on plenty of other burning issues. Even in our crazy 24/7 world silence can be golden, as every great stage actor knows.