by René Lavanchy
MEMBERS of the European Parliament elected under a new left-wing anti-EU platform will not go to Brussels but campaign in Britain instead, organisers confirmed this week.
The “No2EU – yes to democracy” campaign launched by RMT union general secretary Bob Crow last week, is looking to field candidates in June’s European parliamentary elections. Campaign supporters say the EU is using the Lisbon Treaty to privatise public services and undermine workers’ rights.
But a Labour MEP dismissed their arguments and warned they could indirectly help the British National Party.
Brian Denny, an RMT official working on the campaign, argued there was no point in attending parliament: “Everyone knows that the Lisbon Treaty does everything that the constitution does. The EU parliament has no power to overturn that legislation. It’s not a parliament, it’s only a consultative body.”
He said their successful candidates would be “staying in this country”, adding: “We would develop a convention in which to express this political viewpoint.” No2EU MEPs would not draw any salary or expenses, he promised. The campaign is funded by the RMT, the Socialist Party and the Communist Party of Britain.
Glyn Ford, Labour MEP for South West England and a supporter of stronger workers’ rights in Europe, said the movement could help the BNP by diminishing the Labour vote: “I’m in danger of losing my seat. Bob Crow’s major achievement could be to achieve Labour members losing their seats, at best to Tories and Liberals and at worst the BNP.”
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Excuse me for saying this, but this simply looks like a far-left attempt to take votes directly from the BNP by claiming to be against the EU. Of course it won’t help the BNP, for as you very well know (unless you’re really not very bright) this project has been specifically fashioned to attract anti-EU votes which would otherwise have gone straight to the BNP.
A vote for No2EU will in reality be a vote in favour of the loss of national sovereignty and total absorption into the EU superstate. After all, that’s what Communists and Socialists strive for, isn’t it? An end to nations? ‘Tis a pity that this delusion leads not to a utopia of equality and tolerance, but opens the doors to a new global caliphate, where Communists and Socialists would share the fate of their ideological kin in post-revolutionary (it ought to be post-reaction, but post-revolutionary is the accepted term in this case)Iran.
A growing number of people are disillusioned with mainstream politics. For example, the scandal over MP’s expenses shows that mainstream parties are completely out of touch with the realities of life for the working-class.
Votes for the No2EU Yes to Democracy campaign won’t come mostly from New Labour supporters – they will come from fed up voters looking for a protest vote. The campaign provides a progressive alternative to voting for the far right.
In 1906, the RMT helped set up Labour as a socialist voice in Parliament to represent ordinary people. Now we need a new political voice, since there is in reality no difference between any of the three main parties. We need to support this campaign – if it takes off it could provide a platform for the vast majority of the population who are have been disenfranchised by Labour selling out.
Its a nosense to suggest No2EU is about splitting the Labour Vote in favour of other parties.The fact is millions of British people have contempt for the EU and want progressive opposition. Votes belong to the people not to an arrogant party
Cllr Steve Radford Liberal Party