On June 23rd a referendum is being held to decide whether Britain should stay or leave EU. It will be the second referendum: the first was held in 1975 and 67 % decided on staying in the EEC. Nobody can predict the result of the present referendum.
David Cameron’s Conservative government, though divided (172 remain; 132 leave), stands for remaining in the European Union. The main argument is not to lose market position in the continent. A letter from the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), forum of the 50 main industrial and technological firms in Europe, worth two billion euros a year, wants Great Britain to remain in the Union. The same for IMF and OECD, which foresee all kinds of evils if Britain leaves. Barack Obama is also campaigning for remaining in the EU, as American imperialism speaker, for whom the EU is the platform for business of multinationals. The Labour Party is also in favour of remaining, though unenthusiastically. The SNP and Sinn Feinn share this view. A coalition of left parties has just invited Varoufakis to support the stay campaign under the faked argument of transforming it in favour of workers.
Britain exit EU has the backing of senior Conservatives such as Michael Gove and Boris Johnson. Their arguments are profoundly reactionary: in favour of establishing a more direct relationship with US; controlling immigration; against labour laws protecting working conditions and major liberalization of labour market. These arguments are disguised as «defence of the British nation». To the right you can find UKIP that is for leaving EU under racist arguments against immigration. In this context Labour MP Jo Cox, was shot and stabbed by a fanatic Brexit. We repudiate and strongly condemned this heinous crime.
It is important not to get confused with these rightist ideas and think they are of any interest for workers and left parties that support leaving EU. If we consider a possible vote taking into account social class
The Guardian survey found out that 52 % of middle class members would vote remain, and 32 % leave. Whereas working class member would vote 36 % remain and 50 % leave.[1] Latest polls show a tendency towards exit EU. This is not right parties’ campaign success but it shows the need working class people have to confront both power and the Conservative government.
The revolutionary socialists call to vote LEAVE because EU is not neutral: it is governed by multinational enterprises and there is not a true possibility of making this union one to serve European workers and people in general. EU is a tool that capitalist imperialism uses against workers and popular classes, as it is the case in Greece and in other European countries. French workers are fighting labour reforms. As working class we need to unite and defeat these anti workers measures designed to make them pay this capitalist crisis. We strongly reject EU concept not from a nationalist approach. We are internationalists; we want to unite workers and people throughout Europe. We stand for the union of workers in a Europe free of multinationals, free of bankers and capitalists, free of IMF and exploitation. French workers and youth show the way: strike and demonstrations. We support these methods unconditionally until its victory.
We want an integration centred in what European workers and popular classes need. We fight in favour of the constitution of the United States of Europe, for the people and by the people, not for bankers or capitalists.
International Workers Unity-Fouth International (UIT-CI)
June 17th, 2016
