The Labour priority is to negotiate a trading relationship with the European Union to protect jobs and to defend the living standards that we have through regulation, but also to make sure that the jobs in the manufacturing industry and in food supply chains are protected. – Jeremy Corbyn
For a man who refused six times to answer a question on whether the UK would be better off after Brexit, and who disappeared during the 2016 referendum, Jeremy Corbyn seems to be destined to play a big part in saving the withdrawal deal from a fate worse than death.
Having decided that Jacob Ress Mogg and his pals weren’t playing ball anymore, and that the DUP wasn’t worth the money spent, Theresa May turned to the next best thing – Labour. Not only is that embarrassing for the prime minister, but it doesn’t look too good for the Scottish nationalists either. Fancy being ignored. Of course, if Theresa May hadn’t called a general election in the first place, she wouldn’t have had to spend money on the DUP. And as for Scotland, well who cares anyway.
Jeremy Corbyn made a name for himself by showing his lack of enthusiasm during the referendum campaign by going away on holiday. I have my own theory on that, and I don’t believe that he went on holiday, but that he escaped from Plato’s cave in which we are all trapped without knowing it. When he came back, and told us all about the reality of the world he had just witnessed from outside the cave, nobody believed him even though he did have two things in common with Plato – a beard, and ideas.
I’m not a member of the establishment, I’m a member of the labour party, and I’m a labour MP. And my socialist views are totally unchanged. Do I think that we can achieve greater social justice across Europe by working with trade unions and socialist parties across Europe? Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be advocating a remain vote. But mine is not unconditional on Europe by any means. I’m opposed to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, which is being negotiated largely in secret between the European Union and the US, because it would import the worst working conditions and standards from the US into Europe. I’m also opposed to the way in which Europe shields tax havens. This country as well shields tax havens. And the way in which systematically big companies are exploiting loopholes in employment law. So I’m calling for a Europe of solidarity, but I would also say that if we’re to deal with issues like climate change, like environmental issues, you cannot do it within national borders, you can only do it across national borders. The refugee crisis has to be dealt with internationally, not just nationally. So I do think working together but mine isn’t unconditional, mine is positioned that I want to remain, in order to work with others to change it.
Labour wants a close future relationship with the EU based on our values of internationalism, solidarity and equality – maintaining and extending rights, standards and protections.
Labour would seek to negotiate a new comprehensive UK-EU customs union to ensure that there are no tariffs with Europe, and help avoid any need for a hard border in Northern Ireland. Such an arrangement would need to ensure the UK would have an appropriate say on any new trade deal terms.
But forget mistakes of the past because what matters now, are blunders of the future. This is about real cherry picking, Monsieur Juncker. Cherries the size of which you have never seen before. This is about creating a customs union tailor-made for the Brits and having access to the single market without abiding by its rules and pre-conditions. It’s a vision that will make the withdrawal deal well worth accepting and historians will be asking why Theresa May didn’t realize much earlier that she had an enlightened statesman who was begging to be heard. No wonder he called her “silly.”
Well, as miracles go, this may be the biggest one in preparation. Jeremy Corbyn has a week to convince parliament that he has seen the truth of how the UK’s future relationship with the EU should be. It’s a relationship based on romantic socialism that will be unanimously endorsed by a people’s vote, and will prevent the UK from becoming a deregulated offshore tax haven.
The well-known symbol of socialism is a red rose, whose colour and scent are so enchanting, and whose thorns give it respect and power. We would all support Jeremy Corbyn, if only we could hear and believe what he has to say. The red rose has faded so much in the UK and Europe, that you can no longer be charmed by its scent, or protected by its thorns. If Jeremy Corbyn is our answer to Brexit, we have all forgotten the question posed on June 23rd, 2016.