Wednesday 8 June 2016

Europe:- Should we stay or should we go?.

 
The EU is far from perfect, but there’s so much at stake in this referendum. Lots of our rights at work and many people’s jobs are dependent on the European Union, and leaving could even mean lower wages.
I have huge sympathy with the anti-capitalist  argument for leaving the EU, the EU like Westminster serving the vested interests of the rich representing the hegenomy of old, and we now have the opportunity to break it but am not sure about getting into bed with the xenophobes and racists either, like Farage and his dodgy crew and if we leave David Cameron will get rid of the human rights act, he's already tried. I don't want to give these other dark forces any credence.
On the one hand , remain to defeat the hard right, preserve rights enshrined in the EU and fight to reform the EU. On the other hand , leave to strike a blow to fortress Europe, and stand apart from a neoliberal alliance and organise on the basis of true workers' internationalism across and beyond Europe . I recognise that the EU is a rather undemocratic organisation, a flawed institution in serious need of reform , it was responsible for forcing austerity on the people of Greece and Spain, but has also been an influence in restraining our own far right Government from its worst excessess, which is why those from the looniest fringes of the right want us to leave. 
I acknowledge that thanks to the EU it does help protect workers rights, Maternity leave, health and safety legislation, holidays, regular breaks, things I don't trust the UK to keep up with. Certainly not under Cameron. Leaving the EU would put all that at risk. Would you trust the Tories to protect those rights if they didn’t have to? Ideally we shouldn't perhaps be at the mercy of the EU or the UK government.
At the end of the day none of this is the world I want, I don't want any borders and want freedom of movement, internationalism not based on national sentiment or interests. But I have to  admit I'm pretty foxed by it all so still pretty undecided.When you get down to the nitty gritty, there's many unanswered questions by Brexit. Leaving would be one hell of a jump into the darkness. We have to think long and hard about the future,and  not be seduced by the politics of fear. Yes  I don't have any concrete answers, hopefully though  have offered you  some food for thought.
Perhaps when it comes down to it, I will just draw a smiley face on the voting slip. At the end of the day the rich and powerful always seem to get what they want.

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