1. We called for a vote to Remain in the referendum in 2016 as the Leave campaign was totally dominated by a nationalist and xenophobic reaction to globalisation. We did so in the knowledge that the EU is an undemocratic neoliberal institution, and is a necessary instrument for big business and finance in the era of globalised capitalism. Voting Remain was to defeat the far right.

2. In the present situation, there is no space for a Left Brexit. Any such Left Brexit would have to be in the context of mass mobilisations and a radical left government confronting the neoliberal EU. This is even more obvious today.

3. It was correct in the immediate aftermath of the referendum to state that it should be respected, as a re-run then would have been seen as a manœuvre to overturn the decision.

4. All forms of Brexit will entail economic disruption to a greater or lesser extent depending on whether it is a hard/no deal Brexit or a soft one. The cost of this disruption will be passed on to the working class and the poor who have not yet recovered from the crash in 2008. All Brexits, even soft ones, will also entail the loss of the democratic right of freedom of movement of people throughout the EU 28.

5. Now, two and half years on, with the information out in the open as to the consequences of the various Brexit deals, the call for another referendum or people’s vote on any deal, including an option to Remain, is legitimate in the present circumstances. The issue of whether referendums are a good way to decide on government policy in general is a different discussion.

6. We welcome the Labour Party position adopted at its recent conference in so far as it opposes any Tory deal, that there should be a general election if the Tories lose the vote in Parliament, and “if we cannot get a general election Labour must support all options remaining on the table, including campaigning for a public vote”. This implies a referendum with the option to vote Remain and this should be in the Labour Party manifesto.

7. But while Labour’s “six tests” means that they will vote against any Tory Brexit, these tests also commits Labour to “a strong and collaborative future relationship with the EU” and the “the fair management of migration”. In other words a very soft Brexit without free movement of people.

8. We continue to oppose any Brexit, including a soft one, and call for a vote against all Brexit options in Parliament and to Remain in the EU, including in a referendum.

9. The Labour Party should adopt a position of opposition to all forms of Brexit, and take the leadership of the anti-Brexit movement. Failure to do so risks the Labour Party losing a general election and the future of the “Corbyn movement”.

10. Given the crisis and meltdown of the Tories, the central agitational demand today is for the Tories to step aside and for a general election, followed by a referendum on the outcome of negotiations.

11. While opposing the neoliberal and undemocratic EU, we support the call for “Another Europe” based on opposition to neoliberalism, popular democracy, respect for the rights of nations, freedom of movement for people, an end to fortress Europe and militarism, and for economic and political solidarity. We should sketch a new vision for the 21^st century to update the “united socialist states of Europe”. We do not have any illusion that the EU, just like the UK, can be reformed and democratised without mass struggles.

11. We will participate in mobilisations for another referendum or a “people’s vote” but we do not support the “People’s Vote” campaign as it is dominated politically by neoliberals and Europhiles. We support the “Another Europe is Possible” campaign and other similar European-wide campaigns.

Socialist Resistance, 25 November 2018

• http://socialistresistance.org/stop-brexit/13885

Massive demonstration against Tory Brexit

From Parliament Square to Trafalgar Square an estimated 700,000 people filled central London on Saturday October 20^th protesting against the Tory Brexit writes Andy Stowe. It was the largest demonstration the city had seen since the march against the Iraq war in 2003.

The marchers were demanding a second referendum on Brexit now that the electorate has a clearer idea what it might actually mean in reality. The demonstration was organised by The People’s Vote, a group which mostly comprises sections of the Labour right. Some of its most prominent supporters like Chuka Umunna and Tony Robinson make no secret of their hatred for the Corbyn leadership. They invited the Tory MP Anna Soubry and the Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable to speak but there was no significant figure from the Labour left involved.

To carp on about this is to miss the point. 700, 000 people marched in support of freedom of movement in Europe and in opposition to the racist nationalism that pro-Brexit politicians encourage. As with previous and smaller anti-Brexit demonstrations there was the usual mish-mash of home-made placards, EU flags, union jacks and a lot of those rather distressing blue berets with the EU flag’s stars.

If you think this is problematic, consider what a pro-Brexit march would be like. It could only be an alliance of the hard right of the Conservative Party, Ukip and the emerging neo-fascist organisations. Polling shows that there is a stong link between support for Brexit, racism and Islamophobia.

As on previous demonstrations on this theme the participants were mostly from the more affluent sections of the working class, the people who identify as European as much as British. If they are travelling to London to show that they reject Tory chauvinist nationalism that’s something for socialist to welcome.

If the People’s Vote demonstration had been small the campaign for another referendum would now be dead and the right would be triumphant. The turnout means that there is now a real pressure on MPs to support the demand for a second referendum. Should it happen, the left must call for the electorate to include those EU citizens who are currently able to vote in local government elections and everyone aged sixteen or older. This extension of the franchise to people who will be affected by the outcome of the vote is a basic democratic demand.

This was not a routine demonstration. The organised left was largely absent, there were very few Labour Party banners and only one union banner that I saw. Most of the marchers were not the usual marching sort. That’s an encouraging sign that the fight to stop the racist Tory Brexit isn’t lost yet.

Andy Stowe

• Posted on 21^st October 2018:
http://socialistresistance.org/massive-demonstration-against-tory-brexit/13381