Brexit - a challenge for Progressives

I have friends in the Labour Party who genuinely believe that Brexit promises opportunities for the advancement of progressive ideas.

I however have grave doubts about their strategy and the likely consequences of Brexit.

For one -

Britain faces a number of challenges to her economic future. Already some companies are preparing for to move (back) inside the EU to enjoy the full benefits of free movement of goods, persons and capital. They want to avoid any new tariff barriers that may be erected. That's bad for jobs in the UK, and bad for tax revenues. Some ideologues of the hard-right want austerity, not so much to reduce debt (which has been a huge failure in recent years), but to cause a reduction in the role of the State. With the UK Tories still able to attract millions of votes, and win more seats at Westminster, progressives who think that Brexit will unlock the keys to a greater role for Government expenditure are likely to be sorely disappointed.

My view is that we need to hold on to the rights already enjoyed - not sacrifice them to the Brexiters who want all EU regulations and rights annuled. I don't believe in giving up achievements, in order to refight battles already won. If, as some seem to believe, other EU countries want to halt socialism in its tracks - then withdrawing our role in EU decision making will strengthen "them". I'd love to know how socialism is achieved by shooting ourselves - and British workers - in the foot. For more on the rights protected by the EU (which Member States cannot unilaterally abolish) see here.

The way that hard-right Brexiters have been prepared to cynically play on progressive wishes is highlighted by the episode of the NHS bus. Deliberate lies were told to encourage progressive voters that the NHS would be strengthened by a vote to leave. Yet many of the leading Brexiters - who funded the dissemination of this lie - are no friends of a National Health Service. Their ideology dictates that privately funded, for profit provision of health services are a "better way"

There were people who backed Brexit within the Labour Party - but they were a minority in the campaign. It was driven by the hard-right - Arron Banks, Paul Sykes, Stuart Wheeler, Nigel Farage, Ian Duncan Smith, Michael Gove, Andrea Leadsom. The break up of the EU, because it represents to them a body interfering with business' right to do as it pleases - and imposing rights of workers and consumers, is also supported by the likes of Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, many of the tea-party tendency within the US Republican Party, Marine Le Pen and other right wing extremists. The Leave campaign - and today's shrill calls for a hard Brexit - have their cheerleaders in the Mail and Express groups - never friendly to progressives - but with a history of sympathy to the fascist leaders of the 1920s and 1930s.

They want Brexit - specifically a hard Brexit - to let them establish their ideological goals in one country - the UK - and then to spread their ideas by undermining the EU and the UN.

Progressives give them aid and assistance at their peril.