Tory leadership struggle takes a grip on the EU debate
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Version 0 of 1. As the campaign on Britain’s EU membership continues, it is clear that too much is at stake for it to be fought as a proxy for a Conservative party leadership election (Let’s be brutally honest: this remain campaign is failing, Jackie Ashley, 30 March). For Labour, Britain’s EU membership is critical to our values as a party and a movement. From supporting British businesses and jobs, to protecting working people and increasing Britain’s influence on the world stage, Britain’s EU membership is vital. Labour communities too would be hardest hit if Britain left Europe. That’s why, unlike the Tories, Labour is united in our campaign to keep Britain in the European Union. Our national conference made clear that we “approve of UK membership of the EU” and we now have 213 out of 231 Labour MPs signed up to campaign to remain in Europe, including the entire shadow cabinet and our party leader, Jeremy Corbyn. As the Electoral Commission decides to appoint the registered campaigns in this referendum, we believe that Britain Stronger in Europe should receive the designation and Labour in for Britain will continue to be loud and clear in making Labour’s case for our EU membership.Vernon Coaker MPStephen Pound MPStephen Doughty MPStephen Kinnock MPConor McGinn MPRuth Smeeth MPEmma Reynolds MPAnna Turley MPWes Streeting MPJack Dromey MPLiz Kendall MPJohn Woodcock MPJohn Healey MPStephen Timms MPSeema Malhotra MPJo Cox MPThangam Debbonaire MPGareth Thomas MPRachel Reeves MPYvette Cooper MPKerry McCarthy MPGordon Marsden MPPeter Kyle MPMary Creagh MPPat McFadden MPPhil Wilson MPLisa Nandy MPRosie Winteron MPGloria De Piero MP • Contrary to Mary Dejevsky (A silent majority can still keep us in Europe, 29 March), a vote to remain would not lead to harmony, openness and cooperation, what she calls “a new collegiate approach to everything”. Like it or not, the EU referendum is a vote of confidence in the government. A vote to remain would therefore be seen as an endorsement of government policies that, in line with the EU’s neoliberal ideology, punish the poor and reward the rich and better off. Far from the milk-and-honey future she conjures up, we will have harsher and more discriminatory austerity policies imposed by a rejuvenated Cameron and Osborne. But a vote to leave would be a vote of no confidence in the government. Not only would Cameron have to go, but such a vote would raise serious questions on the legitimacy of the Tory party continuing to govern with such a small majority and without a new mandate from the electorate. A simple swap of prime ministers, Johnson for Cameron or whatever, will just not do. A general election will have to be called and Jeremy Corbyn will have his day. With the Tories in shambles and EU-loving Blairites humiliated, a Corbyn-led campaign calling for renationalisation and rebalancing the economy, policies that could actually be implemented after we’ve left the EU, will galvanise the electorate in the same way as his campaign for the leadership of the Labour party galvanised party members and supporters. The message to all those who want to see the end of austerity is clear: vote toleave the EU. Fawzi IbrahimTrade Unionists Against the EU • Mary Dejevsky is unduly pessimistic about the chances of the “remainers” winning in June. As a native German born during the war, it has always been clear to me that the main reason and purpose of European cooperation (and thus the EU) has been the prevention of conflict among Europe’s diverse nations. Have we in Britain become so smug, 70 years after the end of the worst of all wars, that we think we can go it alone and prosper? In 1975 this issue was central to the referendum campaign. Why not now? The remain campaigners would do well to hail the absence of armed conflict in Europe in our lifetime as Europe’s greatest achievement. The rest, but not this, is open to debate.Ursula HaeckelLiverpool • Owen Jones tells us that “if the British people decide to leave the EU it should be on the basis of informed debate”, which unfortunately is not being offered (To leave the EU over Isis would be a victory for terror, 25 March). Well, certainly not by him. His article ranges from condemnation of a couple of arbitrary tweets, via condemnation of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, to the viewpoint that we have to support the EU since Isis wants to destroy it. I doubt that Isis much cares about how exactly Europe is run. A truly informed debate on the EU on the part of the left should be about: 1) The huge level of unemployment and low level of growth in the EU, which in countries like Greece, Spain, Italy and France deprive workers of any of their so-called social rights. Unemployed workers do not enjoy maternity and paternity leave or any other social rights; 2) The role of multinational corporations in dictating EU policy; 3) The role of unconstitutional bodies such as the Troika and the Eurogroup in imposing hard-line neoliberal policies on bankrupt member states; 4) The likelihood that the TTIP being negotiated between the EU and the US will lead to the privatisation of the NHS; 5) The increase in EU immigration into the UK suppressing the wages of British workers. Professor Alan SkedLSE • Is the future of the UK to be decided by a small majority of what may be a minority of voters if the turnout is low (Report, 29 March)? In the face of widespread ignorance and misinformation, many voters may decide to abstain in the referendum. A decision of such historical importance should not be left to the marginal minority. It’s true this is how the present government got into power, but it has already stated the minimum standards it wants to see for important votes to be credible enough to act on. Strikes can only be called in core public services if at least 50% of trade union members entitled to vote have voted, and 40% of those eligible to vote must back action. But strike votes are about temporary and reversible action, unlike leaving the EU. This is far more important than internal party disagreement and all UK voters urgently need to know what will count. Mr Cameron should state that he will only initiate Brexit if the turnout has been more than half of all eligible voters and that at least two-fifths of all eligible voters have voted to leave. He would be respected for doing so, since anything less might be an interesting expression of opinion by a minority of the electorate, but not sufficient to justify such a momentous change for the UK.John Veit-WilsonNewcastle upon Tyne • It’s hard not to sympathise with Jackie Ashley finding the EU remain campaign lacklustre. But there’s a plausible explanation. At present most of remain’s big hitters, along with most of their ground troops, are directing their energies towards 5 May when elections are being held for the Scottish parliament, the Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies, PCCs across England and Wales and many local councils. It’s quite tricky to campaign alongside people when you’re simultaneously campaigning against them. But, even so, local ‘In’ campaigners are already starting to do sterling work at street-stalls, leafleting and suchlike; things should get better from 6 May onwards.Brian HughesCheltenham, Gloucestershire • Jackie Ashley’s roll-call of Labour politicians who are failing to make the case for an alternative to Brexit seemed strangely familiar. Weren’t Chuka Umunna, Rachel Reeves, Tristram Hunt, Liz Kendall, Hilary Benn and Alan Johnson all leading players in the team that also failed to make the case for any real alternative to the Tories’ austerity and cuts policies in the last parliament? And aren’t they now the media-friendly group who’ve been elbowed out of their dominance of the Labour party by the immoderate Corbynistas? And aren’t these two things maybe in some way connected?Mike HineKingston upon Thames, Surrey • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |