Behind the EU referendum - the need to fight for our common interests

Drucken
Workers' Fight workplace bulletin editorials
2 March 2016

Both the "in" and "out" camps in the EU referendum are working overtime to try to rally us to their respective causes. But the more they try, the more obvious it is that neither of them - nor the so-called "choice" they champion - has anything to offer the working class majority of the population.

And how could it be otherwise? The political establishment is hardly known for its concern for the interests of working people! Whether in government or in opposition, the politicians of all sides see their role as promoting what they call "Britain's national interest" - meaning defending the collective interests of British capital, against our collective interests.

So why should it be any different when it comes to the EU? Behind their "in" and "out" rhetoric, what they're really expecting us to do is to vote for one or another way for the British capitalist class to boost its profits on our backs. No, we workers definitely have no stake in this referendum!

Nothing to choose between them

In fact, the two camps hardly conceal their anti-working class agendas.

The "out" campaign's aims are clear. Let no-one be under any illusion in this respect. From Ukip's Farage, the Tory's Ian Duncan-Smith to Labour's Kate Hoey, those who want Britain to return to its past splendid isolation, will soon be arguing that workers have to work even harder and longer, for much less, in order for Britain to hold its place in a "competitive global market".

It is not for nothing that some in the "out" camp champion the idea of turning Britain into the "Singapore of Europe". For them, what British bosses would lose due to Brexit, could be regained several times over by turning the screw of exploitation here, under the pretext of boosting "competitiveness". This is obviously no choice for the working class.

As to the "in" camp, regardless of Corbyn's efforts to make it more attractive to working class voters, it is firmly dominated by Cameron. And Cameron's agenda was clearly highlighted by the saga of his attempt at "reforming" the EU over the past months. Once all the hot air is expelled, what this "reform" comes down to is an attempt to create a new kind of two-tier workforce here, in which EU workers (but maybe not only them!) would have inferior status. It would further undermine the fight for equal pay for equal work.

Ironically, in fact, there is very little difference between the "ins" and "outs" from this point of view. Both use the same xenophobic rhetoric against migrants in general and EU workers in particular. Both aim at dividing the ranks of the working class, all the better to exploit our labour by weakening our collective strength. And this, we cannot and should not tolerate from either of the two camps! Voting in this referendum will necessarily be condoning their anti-working class policies. This just cannot be in our interests!

Fighting divisions to gain strength

But there is another reason why this referendum is a con: while the political establishment is focusing our attention on the Brexit issue, the government is discreetly rushing another raft of anti-working class measures through Parliament.

The Trade Union Bill is intended to restrict our right to strike and to be organised in a union. The Investigatory Powers Bill (Theresa May's famous "Snoopers' Charter") will, under the cover of "tracking terrorists and criminals", provide the bosses' state with more legal means to gather information on workers whose only "crime" is to defend their collective interests.

But there's more to come for a large section of workers - especially the poorest. Like Osborne's tax credit cuts, his £30/wk cut in ESA for the disabled has been voted down by the Lords. But the odds are, that in both cases, he will use Parliamentary rules to impose these cuts anyway. Then, the phasing in of universal credit will result in a benefit cut for many low-income households, especially those with more than 2 children. And Osborne is already preparing more cuts to be included in this month's budget, on the grounds that receipts from income tax are lower than expected - obviously, given the low level of wages!

But the working class has already paid more than enough. These attacks must be stopped. And we have the resources to stop them, by using our numbers and collective strength, in the streets and workplaces. Against this backdrop, it would be foolish to allow the politicians, whether pro- or anti-Brexit, to split our ranks with their anti-migrant ranting. If the capitalists are to be made to pay for their crisis, let's make sure that all workers join ranks in the fight, wherever they come from!